Shortcuts Learned from Someone Over 70 for Those Under 30
In 1850 an English explorer named George Everest was surveying the Himalayan mountain range when he discovered the highest peak in the world at over 29,000 plus feet. Today that mountain is known as Mt. Everest.
For over one hundred years men tried to climb Mt. Everest and failed. It was said, “ It’s impossible. It can’t be done.”
In March of 1953 and English expedition led by Sir John Hurst began an assault on the mountain. For six weeks the expedition grimly struggled up the side of the mountain. Every day for six weeks there were snowstorms with five days in a row of blizzards dumping twelve to fifteen inches of snow on the climbers.
Finally, the expedition reached 27,000 feet. No one had ever gotten this close to the summit. They had been living on a pound of sugar a day and warm lemon juice. They were exhausted, suffering with sore throats, colds, the agony of frozen limbs and pounding headaches from the lack of oxygen.
Two men in the party refused to give up. Strapped with fifty pounds of oxygen on their backs and wearing six layers of clothing, these two men se out to conquer the final 2,000 feet. They struggled, sinking in snow up to their hips, while fierce winds drove them to their knees and back down the mountain. Each step took a concentrated effort but on May, 29, 1953 a New Zealander named Sir Edmund Hillary and a Nepalese Sherpa named Tenzing Norgay did what others said could not be done. They did the impossible. In an epic feat of courage, endurance and determination they conquered Mt. Everest.
What did these two men know they made it possible for them to accomplish something others said could not be done. What is the secret?
The answer lies back in 1922. Another English expedition attempted to climb Mt. Everest and failed. When the participants returned to England they wrote a list of the three essentials qualifications it would take for some one to climb Everest.
No.1 : “Be physically fit.”
No.2 : A “singleness of purpose” and an “ unwavering faith in it’s possibility of it’s achievement.”
No.3 : To say to yourself, “ This one thing I can do and I am confident it can be done.”
Shortcut #1: Be positive. If you think you can’t, you won’t. If you think you can, you will.
Jesus said, “ Everything is possible for him who believes.” Mark 9:23