We all have mountains to climb. It could be the mountain of 'life'; it might also be a career or an educational experience. We climb for no other reason than "it's there!" For some the mountains are comfortable, not too challenging hills close to home. For others they are intimidating peaks, inaccessible and mysterious. Some find the slopes to be crowded and convoluted but with many paths already there to be followed. For others the ways are silent, remote and pristine, lonely places where no one has trodden before.

The challenge though, is the same. We strive to conquer the mountain, to master the obstacles along the way, to reach the top and to gain for ourselves what the privileged few have experienced.

It's our life's work, and it will take all of our resources, invested to attain, at the end, that fleeting recognition that we did it! We are worthy of the challenge.

Climbing a mountain is not a casual activity. We're unlikely to decide on the spur of the moment one Sunday afternoon that we'll attempt to climb a particular peak. It simply doesn't work that way.

Firstly, there are so many peaks from which to choose, some within our known competency, others beyond. There are a few that lie on the edge, a stretching challenge deserving our very best efforts and by no means a certainty, but possible. These are the ones to choose!

Planning is essential. Having made our choice, we must prepare for the endeavor, so we train for fitness, acquire the equipment we'll need and practice in its use. We select a team to climb alongside us and build mutual confidence levels. So much could depend on others!

Then we select a strategy - the timing, the location of our base camp, the routes to be followed and the sites for camps en-route. When all is ready, we 'gird our loins' and set out - the commitment is made. Once started, there's no looking back - just deal with the immediate terrain and keep the summit in sight Giving our own best effort at all times, and contributing to the team, is mandatory. There can be no passengers.

We rope together for security, take counsel on the specific challenges, support each others' efforts and share the chores when we stop to rest. We learn to rely on one another, for we are 'one' against the challenge of the mountain.

The faces of the mountain are different too. There's the popular face where the going is relatively easy, but the pathways are many and meandering. We seem to make much lateral progress but little vertical gain.

The weather face is exposed and dangerous but contains opportunities for significant gains in altitude in shorter periods of time. The risks are high, but the payoff is substantial - if we succeed.

The challenge face allows us to make great progress for brief periods only to encounter a major obstacle with no options. We must overcome the obstacle or retreat to where we started, wasting the time and effort invested. We make our decisions, and move forward.

From time to time we'll need help and call for a guide. The guide is not there to carry us, but to assist us to climb better and more safely through the tougher obstacles. The guide is our coach - there to advise, encourage, instruct, offer support and occasionally to untangle us from the messes in which we find ourselves.

Ultimately we must rely on our own knowledge, skills, determination, and courage. When we succeed and conquer the mountain, we will have mastered our self. It has to be that way or the trip had no real purpose.

Even though we may never have attempted to climb a real mountain - at least not yet - it's easy to envision the experience. It's easy too, to see the parallels with our life, our career or our current activity.

Were we to attempt the climb we would think carefully, plan, prepare, collaborate, behave resolutely and responsibly, and share the load. For our life, our career, our present undertaking - should we do anything less?