That was the question the BBC interviewer asked five mountain climbers that morning before they began their ascent. And, one by one, they gave her the same answer, said in a different way.
'I'll do my best,' said a big burly guy with a heavy black beard.
'I'll give it my best shot,' said a tall, wiry man with muscles on his muscles.
'We'll see what happens,' said a blond headed poster boy for what a mountain climber ought to look like.
'I'll sure try,' said a young, dark headed woman with bright flashing eyes.
And finally the interviewer asked the same question to a short, scrawny, red-headed guy about five and a half feet tall who looked like the runt of the litter. And he told her...
'Yes.'
'Excuse me?' she said, surprised.
'Yes. I'll make it.'
And at the end of the day, he was the only one who made it to the top. Not because he was the biggest, or the brightest, or the most able...but because he was the only one who said he would.
Not 'maybe' or 'I hope' or 'with any luck' or 'I'll give it my best shot' or 'I'll work hard at it' or 'I'll try!'
All he said was 'yes'.
Because he knew that to 'try' is to die...because when you leave yourself a way out, you'll always take it when the going gets tough.
Getting what you want isn't all that hard or complex or mysterious. Just decide what you want, commit to it, and then do it. One step at a time. The same way you'd climb any mountain.
Why not decide today that you are ready, willing and able to reach the top and then take your first step upward?
'I'll do my best,' said a big burly guy with a heavy black beard.
'I'll give it my best shot,' said a tall, wiry man with muscles on his muscles.
'We'll see what happens,' said a blond headed poster boy for what a mountain climber ought to look like.
'I'll sure try,' said a young, dark headed woman with bright flashing eyes.
And finally the interviewer asked the same question to a short, scrawny, red-headed guy about five and a half feet tall who looked like the runt of the litter. And he told her...
'Yes.'
'Excuse me?' she said, surprised.
'Yes. I'll make it.'
And at the end of the day, he was the only one who made it to the top. Not because he was the biggest, or the brightest, or the most able...but because he was the only one who said he would.
Not 'maybe' or 'I hope' or 'with any luck' or 'I'll give it my best shot' or 'I'll work hard at it' or 'I'll try!'
All he said was 'yes'.
Because he knew that to 'try' is to die...because when you leave yourself a way out, you'll always take it when the going gets tough.
Getting what you want isn't all that hard or complex or mysterious. Just decide what you want, commit to it, and then do it. One step at a time. The same way you'd climb any mountain.
Why not decide today that you are ready, willing and able to reach the top and then take your first step upward?
With thanks: Coach2Coach newsletter, February, 26 2010.
