Climbing the Mountain

Mount Egmont in New Zealand, now officially knownand still disgusting weather conditions, the mountain
as Mount Taranaki is a 8261 feet (2518m) tall volcanichated us, another weekend spent in a cabin and
cone on the West Coast of the North Island of Newwalking the lower forrested slopes. But with all goals
Zealand. Not impossibly large but certainly a nice climbthe secret to success is not the length of time or
and a challenge considering approximately 65 peopledifficulty achieving the goal but the number of
have died whilst climbing it, mainly due toattempts that really demonstrate ones character.
hypothermia brought on by rapid weather changes.It took the third year and finally the goal of climbing
You may have sent it without knowing it - is was thethe mountain was achieved.
moutain backdrop in The Last Samurai (pretending toWhen we set goals whether they be personal or
be Mt. Fuji).business often we have no idea or the difficulties one
The Mountain is snow capped for a fair proportion ofwill face when setting them. They start as a dream
the year and a small amount of perpetual ice is onbut the reality is often very difficult. What makes
the summit (unless global warming gets rid of it)one successful or not comes down to
Along with an Outdoor Activity Club a goal was setDETERMINATION. Climbing Mount Taranaki should
to climb to the top of the mountain, it wasn'thave been easy - in this case it wasn't, but the
expected to be to difficult to accomplish. There is adetermination ensured the goal was achieved.
reasonable marked track up to the top with markerMany people in life have goals there believe should be
poles showing the correct way to go.easy, and normally perhaps they should, but what
However the first year it was attempted thereally proclaims what type of person we are is how
remains of a tropical hurricane were battering thewe respond when a simple goal becomes difficult, do
west coast of New Zealand and we literally riskedwe give up the goal or simply increase the effort.
being blown off the mountain. A goal was made toIts your choice!
attempt it again in the following year. A year later