Lessons I Learned Hiking Mount Timpanogos Updated
A Prelude to My Next Book
I recently hiked Mount Timpanogos in Utah with a high school friend, Ryan Fairbanks, the owner of Land Runner Inc. Knowing that I’ve participated in many personal development workshops, Ryan asked me during the hike, “What’s one of the most powerful experiential things you’ve done?”
Until that moment, most of my experiential learning had come from conferences, tough CrossFit workouts, and everyday life experiences. But honestly, hiking Timp turned out to be one of the most challenging things I’ve ever done.
Before the hike, I made a decision: I wanted to set an intention. Reaching the summit was a given—I knew I’d give it everything I had—but I also wanted to come down the mountain with something deeper than just the bragging rights of saying, “I hiked Timp.”
My intention for the hike was to build confidence in myself and to learn something that would help me in my business and other areas of life. As I reflected on the experience, I began brainstorming a list of lessons I learned—lessons I hope to eventually expand into a book, much like I did with a blog post a few years ago.
Here are just a few things I learned while hiking Timp:
Preparation: It’s Okay to Not Be Fully Prepared
As a former Boy Scout, I was taught to “Be prepared.” So when it came to prepping for this hike, I loaded up on what I thought were essentials: trail mix, jerky, nuts, snacks, electrolyte juice packets, and more. My backpack was full. When I arrived, I noticed my friends had tiny hydration packs with just water and a few snacks to get them through the day.
I had even packed frozen water bottles, thinking it would be nice to have ice against my back and cold water throughout the hike. But as we were about to start, I realized I had overpacked. Wanting to lighten my load, I hastily tossed out my trail mix, a bag of almonds, and all but one thawed water bottle—assuming the frozen ones would melt quickly.
I was wrong.
The frozen bottles took far longer to thaw than I expected, and I found myself needing water, not ice. Worse still, the snacks I had tossed out ended up being the ones I craved later on the trail. Next time, I’ll prepare much more strategically.
(Thanks to TERT for being on the trail with fresh, filtered water)
In addition to packing smarter, I also realized how I could have better prepared physically. At one point during the hike, Ryan’s nephew Jake asked me, “Why do you want to prepare better for next time?” I told him, “Because I want to be able to do the hike faster, feel less sore, and not be so tired at the end.”
In hindsight, even though I would have liked to be better prepared, I wouldn’t trade the experience as it was. Had I been perfectly prepared, I might not have learned the lessons I did. And those lessons—about overthinking, letting go, and adapting—are what made the hike truly impactful.
Comparison: Don’t Compare Yourself to Others
I lost count of how many people I saw running the Timp trail. My first reaction was, “They’re crazy!” But my second thought, more often than I’d like to admit, was, “I’m so slow. There’s no way I could ever do that.”
The truth is, I’m actually in great shape for a 49-year-old. I’m no spring chicken, but I don’t feel old or frail. In fact, I’m physically stronger than I’ve ever been in my life—maybe not faster, but definitely stronger.
Humility, I’ve learned, isn’t thinking less of yourself—it’s seeing everyone as equal and recognizing your own divine worth. I’m in a different phase of life than those trail runners. I have different goals, different responsibilities, and different priorities. And that’s perfectly okay.
It’s also okay that it took me the entire day to hike up and back. It’s okay that my feet, back, shoulders, knees, and thighs—well, everything—hurt. As my dad once said near the end of his life, “I hurt everywhere more than anywhere else.” I felt that.
When you’re doing something challenging, especially something that pushes you physically and mentally, the only person you should compare yourself to is the person you want to become. Set goals. Reflect. Learn from each experience. That’s how you grow.
I may never want to run up and down Timp—but I do want to do it better next time. And now, I know how.
A Few More Lessons from the Trail
As I reflected on the hike, several more lessons stood out—simple but meaningful reminders I took with me:
- Goals give direction. When you set a goal, it becomes much easier to stay focused and accomplish what you set out to do.
- Perspective fuels perseverance. I got a second wind when we reached “The Saddle” and could see the Utah Valley below. That bigger-picture view gave me the energy to keep going.
- The right tools matter. Most of the hike, my hiking stick felt like a nuisance. But when we hit the steep climbs and descents, it became essential. It offered safety and support I didn’t realize I needed until I did.
- Every path has different terrain. Just like life, this hike had changing terrain—easy paths, rocky stretches, steep climbs, icy glaciers. Each required different kinds of preparation and mindset.
- Watch your jerky. I left my pack open at the wrong time, and a passing dog helped himself to my bag of jerky while his humans scrambled to wrestle it back. Lesson learned: Keep your pack closed and don’t underestimate a snack thief with four legs.
- There’s more going on beneath the surface. In one stretch, massive boulders covered the path, and we could hear the sound of rivers flowing beneath them. It reminded me that life holds hidden wonders if we take time to notice.
- CrossFit helps—but it’s not enough. A long CrossFit workout is a sprint compared to this kind of endurance challenge. While it helped me physically, I realized true stamina comes from pacing, persistence, and mental grit.
- There are new friends everywhere. We started the hike as a group of three. By the end, we had a fourth—Dennis—who joined us along the way and stuck with us the rest of the day. A simple hello can lead to an unexpected and meaningful connection.
- Gratitude makes it richer. Though, I am sure, that many have made this hike, not everyone will have the chance—or the health—to do something like this. I’m grateful for my body, for this experience, and for the beauty I witnessed along the way. I won’t take that for granted.
In addition to career and business coaching, I help people apply the principles of career exploration to healthy lifestyle exploration. If you would like to discuss your health goals and ways you can find activities that meet your interests, let's talk.
