Climbing has taught me:

1. When I encounter an obstacle, instead of just continuing to press forward haphazardly, I take time to look at my guidebook and resources, plan out the appropriate route, and make sure I have the necessary tools.
2. When I set out to accomplish something, I’m not afraid of giving it full commitment, since I know that I have prepared adequately.
3. I learn to trust the process. I go through the thoughts in my mind to help myself realize that the preparation I have done ahead of time helps me to take the risks now, and that many people have faced similar challenges in the past and have overcome using the same steps.

Just thought I’d share a quick thought on that!

This is a result of not prioritizing. When’s the last time you looked at your life and your job and write down what your priorities are each day?

For example, a sales rep may have a ton of paperwork daily, reports to fill out, sales calls to make, research to do, financial forecasting, etc. But are any of those more important than others? YES! For a sales rep, making sales calls is the most important, since the rest won’t matter if there aren’t any new sales! So therefore he could say, “Cold Calling is my #1 priority. Therefore I will do nothing else until I have planned out who I will call on each day and made those calls. Then I will do the rest of my tasks.” Then comes prioritizing #2, #3 , etc.

So give it a try…write out what your daily priorities are. This will make you accomplish much more every day.

What about climbing? How does this principle apply to climbing? Well…do the same thing. If you have 1 hour to train at the gym…climbing routes that help you train for your goals is more important than just doing situps Climbing is the best training for climbing. So climb first…then squeeze in supplemental training!

I am awakened at 4:30 am by the call to prayer from a nearby mosque, followed by rooster crowing from the chicken farm next to the hotel. The Lutherans fire up their tribute to the divine at 9 am in some of the loudest and most enthusiastic church singing I have ever heard. Breakfast consists of dense, chocolate-brown Tanzanian coffee and eggs that taste like, well, chicken. Nothing like a week of eating organic!

Moshi is a working city lined with street-side fruit and clothing vendors. The men wear collared shirts and pants even in this heat and women wear brightly colored dresses, carrying children in slings and huge baskets of fruit and other items on their heads. There are no starving children in the streets and everyone seems to be chatting or texting on cell phones. Advertisements for Tanzania’s four cell phone companies and Coca Cola dominate the downtown area. Dusty 20 year old VW minibuses packed to the rafters chug down rutted streets. Our $60/night hotel is an oasis of tropical greenery with open air public areas and uniformed staff. I look through the gate of the hotel and am shocked to see a man with shriveled legs propel himself down the street using his arms while seated on a wooden dolly.

Of course, the reason our county is so progressive, and the reason that we have wealth etc. is because we have mastered the art of multi tasking, working non stop etc. I’m not advocating that we stop working hard by any means. That’s what makes our lives comfortable here. And it is also simply a cultural difference. But I am advocating that we all take time to see how much we miss out on life if we are not slowing down and stopping to enjoy life, family, friends, and leisure time as well.

The weekend LifeVenture retreat begins on a Friday night, lasting until Saturday evening, and combines Leslie’s excellent LifeSuccess teachings, (http://www.lifesuccessleslie.com) with experiential training and application by Ascent Adventure Consultants’ (http://www.ascentadventure.com) professional team building and training facilitators, to help participants learn and apply the principles being taught. The event will be held at Homewood Suites in Cary NC, where participants will spend the night Friday evening, and  then spend all day Saturday in the program. This is a unique event and the first of it’s kind in the USA. Leslie Flowers is an international motivational and inspirational speaker, teacher and coach and was tapped by former LifeSuccess Consulting President Paul Martinelli as an emerging leader in the personal and leadership development industry. Brandon Hensinger of Ascent Adventure Consultants works with groups of business people and professionals across the country to help them develop their leadership, management, and communication skills through experiential team building and training.

Leslie’s passion and teaching focuses on helping people to understand the human performance gap — why we don’t do what we already know to do — how limiting beliefs stand in the way of our success, and what is required to narrow that gap in short order. Her teaching also focuses on connecting people with their infinite potential and purpose. The principles and practices learned through her teaching sessions will be the focus of the experiential training aspects of the program, conducted by Brandon Hensinger. Brandon’s passion is helping people learn through experience and be empowered to identify their own strengths and weaknesses, leading to better leadership, performance, and overall success in life. Brandon’s activities are conducted based upon the fact that people learn better by doing something that reinforces what they have heard taught.

Leslie Flowers is based in Cary NC and is a dynamic LifeSuccess Coach (www.lifesuccessleslie.com), conducting seminars and speaking across the country, and helping others reach their full potential.

Ascent Adventure Consultants (www.ascentadventure.com) is a professional team building company, as well as a rock climbing guide service headquartered in Apex NC. They conduct trips and programs across the country.

For More Information, contact Brandon Hensinger at bhensinger@ascentadventure.com, or by calling 919-345-1087.

###

The Adrenaline Rush

One of the things I seek out in life is new, exciting experiences. Every time I climb, I get that feeling that I am doing something new and exciting and I love the adrenaline rush it gives me as I move up the cliff. I have learned to turn fear into excitement!

The Challenge

I’m always looking for new challenges, and with climbing, there is a limitless lifetime of challenges awaiting me.

The Lifelong Pursuit

There will never be a time where I can say “I’ll never do anything harder than this,”, or “Well, this is all climbing has to offer…I climbed the best route.”

Solitude

Life gets busier and busier by the day. Climbing gives me the opportunity to retreat to places where few people ever go; where I am by myself on a cliff-side, experiencing the world as it was originally created, away from all the hustle and bustle of life.

Training

It’s rare that training for a sport is always enjoyable. However, in the case of climbing, the best training is climbing, climbing, and more climbing! In addition to simply climbing, learning various additional strength techniques is great fun to me, and  love how so many other exercises lend themselves to climbing, such as Yoga.

Community

Climbers have a unique community. Coming from all different walks of life, climbers share the unique bond of being climbers and no matter what can instantly connect. The sense of community among climbers is strong and is something to never be taken for granted. Through the climbing community you can build skill, learn about new areas,  and build a great network of friends.

Revitalizing and Recharging

There is nothing that I find to be more recharging and refreshing than getting out climbing. I think this is the greatest reason I love climbing. By stepping out into the wilderness and climbing my mind, soul, and body is refreshed more than it is anywhere else.

“The leader must be able to travel into an unexplored path”

As I reflect upon this statement, I realize the truth of it. If a leader isn’t willing to travel on an unexplored path, they really aren’t leading…they just simply follow in other people’s footsteps. A leader needs to know which path to choose, and confidently lead their group down it, ready to confront obstacles, make split second decisions, and help carry along anyone who is struggling behind.

Is that the way you lead, or are you afraid to try new ideas?

This in my opinion is such a key principle to follow, and really does a very succinct job at explaining why using the outdoors and adventure for leadership development and training is so effective. Teaching people to confront fears and feel comfortable when faced with new risks and challenges can be done outdoors better than anywhere else.

The Moore’s Wall trip was one of the most amazing climbing experiences of my life. Every moment of the experience was enjoyable, and I can’t wait to climb with Ascent Adventure Consultants again. Easily worth the six-hour drive from DC. Great guides and great experience.
- Grant, Climbing Course Participant

Taking this class taught me alot and confirmed things I had already been in the process of learning. Even though I have much more to learn it allowed me to feel confident, to go with my partner, and climb outside at my current level.
-Chris, Climb Outside Class Participant

Anyone who likes to experience outdoor challenges has a responsibility to themselves and others in their group to know what to do when things go wrong.  And in the
outdoors, there’s always something you didn’t count on.
-Jodi, Wilderness First Aid Class student

This was not my first class in Wilderness First Aid.   It was my best class in Wilderness First Aid.   McCracken wins the best instructor award hands down.
-David, Wilderness First Aid Class student

The instructor effectively drew from the experiences of the group to demonstrate/highlight the real world implications of the material.  Good balance of formal textbook time and anecdotal experience.
-Jeff, Wilderness First Aid Class student

This is a highly-engaging and interactive class which provides practical and essential skills for anyone participating in activities in the outdoors.
-Tom, Wilderness First Aid Class student

Julie, Climbing Trip Participant