Manley Feinberg II is a business leader, motivational speaker and author of Reaching Your Next Summit www.VerticalLessons.com.
Feinberg says the business leaders he often advises and anyone else looking to accomplish lofty goals can use their own belay system and reach beyond their comfort zone. He offers these six tips for doing just that:
- Get a safety system in place. Climbers, like anyone looking to accomplish big things, expect to fall on the way to reaching their summit and that’s why they use a belayer. “Before beginning the climb to your new goal, you should have processes in place to allow for your inevitable mistakes.” Feinberg says. “Your own personal belayer that provides a safety system for when you fall.”
- Be sure to have just enough rope. A belayer must feed a climber just enough rope to allow him to move in a desired direction. You’ll want partners in business, and in life, who give you enough rope to climb and room to grow.
- Avoid too much rope. A partner also shouldn’t give you too much slack because when you fall, the impact is going to be even greater for both of you.
- Don’t let your belayer hold you back. A belayer must feed you just enough rope as you move along. However, they can hold you up if they aren’t giving you enough slack to move. Identifying a belayer who is holding you back in life and disconnecting from him or her can be one of the most courageous and productive actions you will ever take.
- Find a partner whose actions are immediate. When you fall, which you will if you try to accomplish goals beyond your comfort zone, your partners must be fully present for you, just as a belayer must lock off the rope right away when a climber begins to fall.
- Focus on reassurance after the fall. A good partner will help you recover and get back at your endeavor as soon as possible.
“When executed consistently, the belay lesson will have a dramatic impact on your life,” says Feinberg, who recommends those looking to accomplish bigger goals should start their day with two questions: “Who do I need on belay today?” In other words, who can support me to help me accomplish my goals? And, “Who will I belay today?” What individual needs my support the most today?
