Summiting Mailbox Peak
🏔️ A Milestone in Recovery and Resilience
This weekend, I reached the summit of Mailbox Peak—my first serious hike since undergoing multiple surgeries. It was exhilarating—not just because of the physical challenge, but because it reflected exactly what my Simplify & Summit™ system is designed to do:
➡️ Focus on small, strategic improvements every day instead of trying to overhaul everything at once.
I covered 11 miles, gained 4,000 ft of elevation, and spent 7.5 hours on the trail—after weeks of practically no movement. And I did it without injury, which is my top priority while training with a healing body.
🔍 Simplify & Summit™ in Action:
This post reflects the following steps in my framework:
Identify the Goal: Hike with intention, avoid injury, and use progress as fuel.
On Track (Metrics): Time, distance, elevation—and how I felt.
What is Working: Assessed existing equipment and determined opportunities.
Adapt: Navigated challenges on trail, in gear, and with vision.
Sustain: Pulled from career-tested systems to keep going when it got hard.
💡 Lessons From the Trail
At 3,000 ft, the hike stopped feeling easy. But thanks to my daily work—movement, nutrient-dense smoothies, and a solid training plan—I had the resilience to keep going. Just like in corporate leadership, having a clear strategy made it possible to assess, adapt, and act under pressure.
The descent was its own adventure. Fogged-up glasses, camera limitations (still can’t read the settings due to my eye recovery), and steep, rocky terrain made it a mental and physical test. I even had to remove the lens on one side of my glasses to regain adequate visibility 😃 a literal metaphor for clarity when it matters most.
🥾 Gear Test: What Worked, What Didn’t
✅ Poles: Crucial on the descent.
✅ Pants: Comfortable, breathable.
❌ Shoes: Big disappointment: The model I’ve trusted for years has changed. One size is too tight, the next too big. My feet slid inside the shoes, causing hot spots and toe pain. But I stayed calm, leaned on my poles, and reminded myself: discomfort is not danger. I was safe—and I could keep going.
🧭 Leadership on the Trail
This moment reminded me of leading teams under pressure:
You’re exhausted, expectations are high, but you pause, assess, breathe, and move forward with clarity. That’s what got me to the summit. And that’s what I’ll take into the next one.
Now I know:
I need to try different socks and lacing systems.
Every pain point has something to teach me.
I’ve got more tools for the next challenge—and the next summit.
Because this climb wasn’t just about Mailbox Peak.
It was about proving that I’m not starting over: I’m starting higher! 💖
