What if I'm Climbing the Wrong Mountain?

That was the question a client called to ask me.

She’s a seasoned creative, smart as hell, deeply talented — and completely overwhelmed.

“I don’t even know if this is the right mountain!” she said.

We’ve used that metaphor for years. The mountain. The climb. The journey toward building something meaningful.

But in that moment, she didn’t want motivation. She wanted clarity.

Here’s what I told her:

Know your values.

Your values are your compass. Your decision making criteria. Without them, every detour feels like a dead end. Every rough patch makes you question your whole direction.

But when your decisions are grounded in what truly matters to you — not what you should do, not what’s expected of you — you feel grounded. Even when the going is tough.

Define the destination.

If you don’t know what the top of that mountain looks like, of course you’ll feel lost.

You don’t need a 10-year plan. But you do need a sense of where this path leads and what “worth it” looks like to you.

Because if you’re just climbing for the sake of climbing… it doesn't take a Cheshire Cat to know, it does matter which path you take.

Have a Guide.

Solo treks sound noble, but they’re exhausting. A good guide (or a solid crew) doesn’t walk it for you… They help you spot the easy paths, avoid the snakes, and will make you stop to admire the damn view along the way!

We all need people who’ve walked this before. People who remind us we’re not crazy — just climbing.

So. How do you know if you’re on the right mountain?

Check your values, that's your path.

Be clear about your destination.

Find your crew.

And keep climbing.

Yes, there’ll be days when you slip. When the trail disappears. When your fancy hiking boots are full of mud and you want to turn back.

But if the mountain matters — keep going.
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The view is spectacular up here.