"Let's climb up the sand dune" said Joe excitedly. "Then we can roll down like we did when we were kids!"
Ben looked at Joe and smiled. "You're mad Joe, we can't climb that sand dune - its too high!
Joe was already making his way towards the sand dune. "Where is your sense of adventure Ben?" shouted Joe. "Come on - it will be fun!"
Ben sighed and started after Joe. "Wait for me then Joe, I'm coming with you!"
They both ran like children towards the sand dune and started to make their way upwards, climbing through the sand. Laughing and breathless, they stumbled, fell and got up again. Joe was making the best progress.
"Come on Ben, keep going - we are nearly there!"
Ben looked up at Joe who was a few metres ahead of him. "It's too hard Joe, it feels like I'm going backwards rather than forwards. The sand just moves underneath my feet!"
"I know" shouted Joe. "It feels like you aren't getting anywhere, but just keeping putting one foot in front of the other! Crawl on your hands and knees if you have to - but just keep going!"
The two men climbed, crawled and laughed their way to the top of the sand dune where, exhausted from their journey, they collapsed into a heap together.
Joe was the first to speak. "That was hard wasn't it Ben?"
Ben gasped for air. "Yes Joe, I'd never have carried on if it wasn't for you encouraging me to keep going. The sand just sucked the energy out of me but knowing you were climbing with me, kept me going when it got really tough."
Joe put his arm around his friend. "I know Ben. But you helped me too. Knowing you were behind me all the way kept me going too."
The two men looked out from the top of the dune. It was steep and the way down seemed even higher than the climb. "Just look what we climbed" said Joe. "It didn't seem that steep when we were actually climbing but gosh, this is high!"
Ben looked down the slope. "I know Joe. How did we do it? I'm actually more scared of getting down than I was of the climb. I was full of enthusiasm for the climb, but now I've succeeded, I'm actually more scared about getting back down!"
The men laughed together at their achievement and how they had succeeded. "We must have been so focussed on the climb that we didn't realise how steep it actually was!" said Joe. "So are you ready to head down Ben?"
"Of course" said Ben. "Last one down buys the beers!"
And the two men stumbled, rolled and tumbled down the dune, not caring how quickly, elegantly or effectively they undertook the journey down the slope. The sand gave way under their feet, just as it had on the climb, but they simply let it happen as their momentum took them forwards.
Exhausted but exhilarated, the two men made it safely to the bottom of the dune.
"What a laugh!" said Ben.
"That was brilliant!" said Joe.
And they both had already forgotten just how difficult the climb to the top had been....
****
Climbing sand dunes is just like life and business.
The sand moves beneath our feet as we try to find the right way to move forward. Sometimes it feels like we are making little or no progress.
But often we are so close to our challenges, that we don't see the progress we are making. Then, one day we turn around and realise just how much progress we HAVE made - despite the drain of the journey.
And along that journey, we need the encouragement of others to keep us going - particularly when the going gets tough. We need the help of "Kindred Spirits" who are prepared to be with us when we need support.
Finally, when we do succeed, the journey seems easy and quick. When we find what it is we are destined to do, it doesn't matter if the sand beneath our feet keeps moving. We know where we are heading and we can tumble and fall but we still make progress and love the feeling it gives us.
So are you climbing sand dunes in your life and in business? If you are, keep climbing as the journey down will be so much fun...
Thanks to Joe Francis for the inspiration for this article. Joe runs a Landscape Gardening business and is a true Kindred Spirit. Check out Joe's business at Joe Francis
The Kindred Spirit Network
"Let's climb up the sand dune" said Joe excitedly. "Then we can roll down like we did when we were kids!"
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