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Viesturs lecture discusses (and documents) his primary goal of climbing the World’s 14 peaks over 8000 meters (26,000’ and above) without supplemental oxygen-a project he titled Endeavor 8000. This effort took him 18 years to complete and in doing so became the only ...
Viesturs lecture discusses (and documents) his primary goal of climbing the World’s 14 peaks over 8000 meters (26,000’ and above) without supplemental oxygen-a project he titled Endeavor 8000. This effort took him 18 years to complete and in doing so became the only American and one of five people to accomplish this feat. The themes interwoven within this story are team work, leadership, goal setting, overcoming obstacles, commitment and risk management. His images showcase these efforts and complement the talk.
Key points-
1.”Getting to the summit is optional, getting down is mandatory”. Climbing a mountain has to be a round trip. You need to plan ahead and have resources to make sure you finish what you set out to do.
2.”Listen to your instincts”. Make decisions based on your experience and gut feelings. Don’t get caught up in group think.
3. “Temper your ambition in the face of overwhelming risk”. Be patient enough to wait for the right time to move forward, even if others are going ahead. My motto has always been “The mountain decides whether you climb or not. The art of mountaineering is knowing when to go, when to stay, and when to retreat.”
4. “Patience and persistence are keys to success but I believe that passion is the most critical ingredient”. If you are passionate with what you do, you’ll perform better, enjoy the process and be willing to take as long as it takes to succeed.
5. “Teamwork, regardless of the industry, is the same: It is an implicit trust in, and recognition that the person next to you is No. 1”.
