Everyone is Faced with a Rock Wall at Some Point

I tried something new last night.  My bootcamp instructor at the Y told me to climb the rock wall.  I looked up at the wall at the hand and foot holds spread out and thought there's no way I can do this.  However, I set my mind on getting up that wall.  About 75% of the way up it starting getting really tough to climb.  Thought for sure I'd have to quit but the teacher and my class were rooting me on.  It took a while but I finally reached up grasped that last hand hold pulled my aging carcass up to the top and rang the bell.  Seriously, it was one of the greatest feelings ever to conquer something I thought I couldn't do.

We all are faced with rock walls in all life every day.  The client who has just asked for the impossible delivery date or the vendor who just told you the time sensitive materials for your project were lost in transit.  How do we get over the wall and not wind up crushed underneath it?

Here are a few tips:

1.  When facing your wall take a few deep breaths.  If you are calm you can think clearly.  If you are stressed that wall is going to seem larger, scarier and insurmountable.

2.  Plan a strategy.  How are you going to get to the top of your wall.  Which hand holds will you grab?  Where are you going to put your feet?  What is the best path to get you where you want to go?  I like to put as much time as possible into the planning.

3.  Have a contingency plan.  If twenty years in the industry have taught me anything it's that the tighter the deadline, the more critical the project the greater the likelihood is that something will go wrong.  I always like to have a B plan and even a C plan just in case.  It's much easier to switch to plan B than to have to think up plan B while in a panic.

4.  Be ready to make a final push.  It is very likely that like me as you near the top of the wall you will reach a point where you think you can't go on.  Here's where you just have to rest for a moment.  Take stock of your options and then reach deep inside yourself to find the strength to make that final push.

5.  Have a support team behind you.  In all honestly at the 3/4 mark last night I would most likely have given up and made my way back down if not  for my support crew cheering me on and encouraging me to keep trying.  Make sure you have coworkers and mentors  who can provide that kind of support when facing your own wall.

6.  Celebrate the Victory.  Once you reach the summit of the rock wall in your life don't forget to ring the bell and rejoice in the satisfaction of knowing you accomplished something that seemed daunting at the time.