Self-leadership: Leading oneself to health to reach the summit!
In the year of my 50th birthday, I fulfill a long-cherished dream - climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. The roof of Africa at 5895 m height. Climbing mountains like Kilimanjaro is a life-changing experience. I am not a professional mountaineer. I spend most of my time in the office or on the road, working on various projects. So the climb was a big challenge for me, for which I prepared for over a year. Until November 2015 when I went to Tanzania to reach the summit like Hans Meyer did on 06.10.1989 - the first man on Kilimanjaro. The mountain itself is not difficult to climb, it is the lower oxygen content in the air and thus the risk of altitude sickness that makes the ascent difficult. Climbing Kilimanjaro involves passing through many vegetation and climate zones. You start at 30°C in the African rainforest and end, if you make it to the summit, at -10°C in the glacier landscape. There are things that are hidden from us when we watch documentaries or read magazines about Kilimanjaro. The climb is incredible, breathtaking, spectacular, but also very boring. For 4 days I could admire the beautiful landscape, but now during the summit ascent, you are woken up by your guide at midnight. It is dark and cold. The only thing you hear is the boots shuffling along the path, the only thing you see is the beam of light from the headlamp, and the only thing you feel is the burning in your lungs. It's not a life-changing experience to walk through the night, see little, only hear yourself breathe, feel nauseous and dizzy, become heavier with each step, and have sore feet. But with every small step and every breath, I got closer to my goal, which I never lost sight of. After what felt like an eternity, I finally made it, I was on the roof of Africa, at 5895 meters above sea level. Although I still felt nauseous and dizzy, my feet hurt, and my lungs burned, I was the happiest man on earth. I couldn't enjoy this moment for long. 15 minutes and a few photos later, we started the descent back to the camp. Just like climbing Kilimanjaro, every profession requires peak performance: physically - mentally - emotionally. In the hectic work environment, time passes so quickly that you hardly have time for your colleagues and employees, for communication, for yourself. Appointments, decisions, stress: Often you are pushing yourself to the limit, and the necessary training for the peak performances you have to deliver remains just a wish. Living on autopilot? It doesn't have to be. Based on the experience of climbing Kilimanjaro, I developed new seminar and training concepts. It is about teaching my participants how to achieve "personal peaks" through self-leadership by focusing their thought power, applying relaxation techniques, and effective cardiovascular training to gain more performance and serenity for their everyday lives! Markus Weber is a businessman, sports teacher, and former competitive athlete. In 1994, he founded the agency V.I.T. Veranstaltungen, Incentives Trainings GmbH. As managing director, trainer, and speaker for executives, his focus is on health and stress management as well as team and personal development. The combination of entrepreneurial experience and a sports background, combined with outstanding qualities as a speaker and moderator, make him a sought-after contact person for his key topics. Among other things, he has received the special quality award "Expert-Member" from the renowned and traditional Club 55 - European Community of Experts in Marketing and Sales. He captivates with competence, enthusiasm, dynamism, and self-leadership. Thank you Markus Weber for this great article.
