Why a Sherpa?

Imagine this . . .

Your lungs are literally on fire; your legs feel like they weigh two hundred pounds each; the wind is blowing so hard it reduces your eyes to slits, blurs your vision, and nearly knocks you down with every gust. Every step is a slow and cautious ordeal with sheer ice and drop offs on both sides, where one misstep can mean certain death. Your vision is blurred and distorted from the wind and sheer exhaustion, but still you press onward and upward.

Each step is getting physically more difficult to take, but strangely that seems the easy part; mentally, you are starting to fray at the edges. As you look down to plan your next step, you notice the ground before you seems to move, and curve and blur as if laughing at your arrogance and stealing your confidence in the only way it can. You look up and you can see the summit in the distance and it doesn’t appear that far away, but yet the very ground seems to be fighting against you.

Then a strange thought enters your mind; one that people who know you well would never imagine you having in a million years – quitting and failure. You remember the statistics you read when you were planning this trip, that only a fraction of a percent of those who begin the climb, successfully make it to the top, and a staggeringly high percentage of those give their very lives in the pursuit. A paralyzing panic sets in. You try and fight back with logic and reason. You think to yourself, you prepared for hundreds of hours and have climbed dozens of lesser peaks to prepare. But alas, reason has no grip in moments like these; your hold on your goals begins to loosen and you feel like you are falling. Your breathing becomes irregular and shallow, and despite the oxygen on your face, the edges of your vision are starting to grow dark and fuzzy and this darkness seems to be moving quickly towards the center of your vision. Your panic now is at a fever pitch, as you realize you are blacking out, and then . . . . .

Up ahead about seventy-five yards, a much smaller and slighter man physically is still making progress to the summit. Although smaller physically, he is mentally and emotionally strong. He is calmly unattached to the outcome, because of having gone through so many successful ascents.  He has seen a lot in his thirty-five short years and knows how to apply this wisdom. His intuition level is always high on these trips; it is like his radar sensitivity goes up exponentially because of his responsibility and the sheer danger of this journey. He begins to wonder, that something is wrong, and he turns around and sees his friend, client and charge on his knees in obvious danger. He immediately, makes his way back to him.

The next thing you remember is you recognize a familiar and comforting pair of eyes. You only see his eyes as the rest of his face is covered with fur from his parka and an oxygen mask that seems too large for his tiny face. These eyes seem all knowing and re-assuring. A calm washes over you, because you know you chose a great Sherpa. In this moment, it feels like your vision becomes clear and the raging noise of the wind suddenly stops. The world seems to slow down, and your purpose becomes crystal clear again.

You see clearly now your trusted friend you know only by his Sherpa nick name “Sagarmatha”, which is Tibetan; the Tibetan name for the highest peak in the world. In this new lucidity, you look at your trusted friend and simply point to the summit.

Sagarmatha, your Sherpa, knows what to do. He doesn’t say a word, but simply raises his right hand, takes off his fur lined mitten, and takes his small forefinger and thumb and deliberately joins them in a circle in front of your eyes. This gesture is universal and doesn’t require complex knowledge. In that instant, regardless of the outcome, you know everything is going to be ok.

Sagarmatha, pulls out a strong, yellow mountaineering nylon rope, wraps one end around your waist and through your utility belt; he then, quickly and expertly, ties off the other end to himself. Without saying a word, Sagarmatha turns and you both take the next steps towards the summit, in unison as partners.

So what can we learn about choosing a Sherpa from this story? The simple answer is everything. This story is a perfect metaphor for growing a business to new heights, and a serious reminder that only the foolhardy would attempt it alone.

Any business person who wants to climb to new heights realizes this simple fact; I have only so many skills and experiences on my own, and the best way to reach new heights of success is to surround myself with new and fresh ideas, perspectives and experiences. Some say, this is to give up control, and some will “white knuckle” controlling every situation we find ourselves in. Good luck with that ulcer.

We, here at BizSherpa, say, surrounding yourself with quality, talented, creative and successful people only expands exponentially what is possible. Don’t ask yourself, how can I control my own destiny by creating a zero sum game of I win while someone else loses; instead, ask yourself, do I believe in abundance? Look around; open your awareness; the proof is all around you. What new heights are possible? What information or counsel do I need to ensure I reach a new summit, regardless of your goals? Ask yourself this simple question, am I, left to my own devices and own thinking, accomplishing everything I want out of my business life? If the answer is no, then there is a reason. Something is missing or lacking. Also ask yourself, if I could break through the false ceilings limiting my success, wouldn’t I be willing to share some of that increased wealth and income with a trusted business advisor. Put another way, here at BizSherpa, we feel it is much smarter to have a percentage of a much, much larger and ever growing pie, then to have 100% of nothing.

The type of client we are looking for is a client who understands, appreciates and is ready to live their business life like this; sharing in a wealth of abundance.

At this point, we could write a long and boring bullet list about choosing a Sherpa or business advisor based on experience, trust, past successes etc., but we won’t insult your intelligence. However, instead, we choose to leave you with some sage advice attributed to two men who were definitely ahead of their time:

Both Benjamin Franklin and Albert Einstein are attributed with saying, “Insanity is doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results.”

Choosing a Sherpa requires a fundamental understanding of the application of this wisdom.

We wish you great wisdom; enjoy the climb.