I talk a lot about the idea of a \u201cNo Barriers\u201d life. As a blind man who has successfully climbed Mount Everest and kayaked the Grand Canyon after six years of preparation, it\u2019s an important concept to me. I think about the idea of No Barriers in terms of a journey: It\u2019s that unexplored terrain between base camp and the summit\u2014i.e., the safe places where we rest, rejuvenate, and strategize about our ambitions. What does that look like? It\u2019s the idea that this journey of life is a map that we are all trying to build and navigate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I try to help others understand what that \u201cNo Barriers\u201d map looks like for them. For most, it is not about climbing mountains or kayaking rivers, but it is deeply personal for every person. It is a learning process. It is a process of learning and discovery to understand these elements, the waypoints along the way. Those elements are like holds on a rock face that lead you upward and give you clues to where you’re going and why it’s so important to try to get there. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
A map to your personal summit is only part of achieving success. Technology is an amazing tool, but that’s not a secret weapon for success. And it\u2019s not a pile of money, either\u2014money is important and great, but it\u2019s not necessarily the secret weapon. That would be the people with whom we surround ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A blind guy doesn\u2019t climb mountains alone. I do it with a great team. Take Everest, for example. Reaching the summit was a historic accomplishment, but the thing I\u2019m most proud of is that 19 people on our team reached the summit that day\u2014a world record. I was, and still am, very strategic about which people\u2019s hands I choose to put my life in, because their lives were also in my hands. If there’s been a secret weapon to my success, it\u2019s \u201croping up\u201d with these incredible people. <\/p>\n\n\n