Hey Reader—
I'm back home after a great run of 3 events in 10 days, including sessions in San Antonio, TX and Jackson, WY last week. (Welcome to our community if you happened to be there!)
Today I want to share a story and a couple of pictures that I hope will inspire you on your own journey.
While I was in Jackson—which is truly one of the most beautiful places on Earth—one of the first questions people would ask me was, "Have you been here before?"
My answer was, "Almost."
I almost made it to Jackson back in 2019, when I had taken Brody to Yellowstone for a few days after a speaking engagement. One day, we drove to the South side of Yellowstone, aiming for the Teton Mountains... based on a "strong recommendation" from my dear friend Jeff.
We didn't have time to get all the way to Jackson, the town adjacent to the Grand Teton National Park, but we got close enough to get this picture in front of the mountains:
At the time, I was so blown away by the entire region that I thought, "I have to get back here again next year."
Of course, "next year" was 2020 and most of us weren't going anywhere. Then even after the pandemic subsided, business and family matters prevented me from getting back as I had planned.
So... when I made it to Jackson this year—my birthday week, even—I saw it as a true gift and definitely not something to take for granted.
Arriving a day early, the client had made arrangements for all of us speakers to ride the tram to the top of Rendezvous Mountain with an elevation of 10,455 feet.
The view was stunning, as you might imagine.
What I didn't expect to see, though, was the tip of the Grand Teton mountain, peeking out in the background.
You can see it here:
Then it hit me:
Five years later...
Not only did I make it back, but...
I'm on the other side of the mountain.
In that moment, I couldn't help but reflect on how my life has dramatically changed since Brody and I stood in front of those same Tetons in 2019. We were in a good place back then, but in the years that followed, there were times when it felt like the bottom had dropped out.
At times, it looked like that proverbial "END" sign I talk about in my book.
But here's the thing: after every ending, there's always a new beginning waiting to be discovered.
Of course, there's no "fast pass" to the other side of a mountain. And to be honest, I couldn't have imagined what life would look like on the other side.
Five years later...
We’ve moved to Ohio. (Ohio?!)
I’ve published a book.
My business is on a positive trajectory.
I’m married with three kids.
Life is good, and I am deeply grateful.
Standing on top of Rendezvous Mountain, I reflected on all of this, and I also realized that just because you've made it to the other side of one mountain doesn't mean your journey is complete. By no means do I want to give the impression that everything is perfect now. There's still plenty of room to grow.
Also, you know what's always waiting on the other side of a mountain?
Another mountain.
"Up we go," right?
If you want to go higher, you have to keep climbing.
But before you do, take a moment to pause and enjoy where you are and how far you've come.
Breathe deeply (you'll need to at this altitude!) and then take the next step forward. It's always about that next step.
One foot in front of the other. One step at a time.
And then one day, you'll look up and realize you've made it to the other side.
Up we go—
P.S. As always, I only share my story because in it, I know you'll find your story. I write this knowing very well that you may not be on the other side of your mountain right now. In that case, I hope this serves as a reminder that you will get there. There is another side. Keep going. You're on your way. And if you know someone who needs to be reminded they're on their way, too, by all means, forward this to them!
P.P.S. If you took advantage of our free offer for the Kindle version of Mastering the Moments last week, THANK YOU!!! You sent the book to #1 across multiple categories. Once you dive into it, please leave a review so we can reach more people with this powerful message. 🙏🏼
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New Book! Mastering the Moments is a heartfelt and empowering book that challenges the modern belief that resilience is merely about bouncing back. By working with what is and letting go of what was, we can step into what can be to create a life filled with purpose and joy, even in the midst of adversity.