Synopses & Reviews
Success. It's one of the most alluring words in our vocabulary. We dream about it. Plan for it. Chase after it. But just what is it we're after? What really defines success?
In the eighties, it was simple. Success meant "climbing higher, going farther" and everyone was out to claw their way to the top. Today, success if far more personal. It comes from a sense of what we believe as individuals rather than what society tells us to believe.
We all need to have our own definition of success. Either we come to terms with that definition, or we risk paying the price: Bankruptcies. Broken marriages. Career crises. Even death....
It happened in 1988, and a man named Jim Hayhurst was there to witness it. Two men died trying to climb Mount Everest. They died because they failed to understand themselves and their goals. The attempted a climb that was not for them. They were not on the right mountain.
The Right Mountain is Jim's story of that climb. It is a riveting account of how traditional definitions of success can break down and what can be done to improve them.
As part of the 1988 Canadian Expedition to Mount Everest, Jim experienced first hand the monumental challenges involved in climbing the world's highest mountain. He takes you on that expedition, across surging rivers, over treacherous ice fields, and up mountains where temperatures dip to 60 below and winds gust to over 160 miles per hour.
He describes the life-threatening experiences that affected each member of the team, the critical choices that had to be made, and the lessons that were learned as a result.
More than an adventure story, The Right Mountain is a graphic illustration of what it means to be successful. Not just in terms of short-lived victories. But in terms that are right for the individual, that lead to sustained success and real satisfaction.
Review
"A book that first captures the heart and then goes on to snare the mind. The lessons go down easy, but they refuse to go away....If there is an unclimbed Mount Everest in your life, I highly recommend this book. It will first help you decide if you're on the right mountain; and then it will guide you to the top."
— H. John Greeniaus, President & CEO, Nabisco, Inc.
"Great story...great message! There are lessons here for everyone in the family and many at work. I want them all to read it. It's the kind of book I like to keep on my bedside table for regular referral. It will help me squeeze that little bit more out of life."
— John M. Thompson, Senior Vice-President and Group Executive, IBM
"Experiential education at its best! Jim's story pushes us to extend ourselves, to grow, to dream. And he points out the difference between our dreams for ourselves and those others have for us. A valuable lesson."
— Wendy Pieh, Former Program and Executive Director, Outward Bound
Synopsis
In 1988, Jim Hayhurst, a forty-seven year old ex-advertising executive, became the oldest member of the Canadian Expedition to Mount Everest.
The Right Mountain is the riveting story of that climb. He tells you about the life-threatening experiences that affected each member of the team. He describes the critical choices that had to be made, and the lessons that were learned as a result. But it is much more than an adventure story. It is about defining success for yourself— on your own terms— in your career or in your personal life.
The Right Mountain is inspirational. The story is dramatic. The metaphors compelling. And the messages it contains will stay with you long after the story is over.
About the Author
Jim Hayhurst is a father of three, and a successful business executive. Under his leadership, the Hayhurst Group of Companies grew to become one of the top three advertising agencies in Canada. He was also Chairman of Outward Bound Canada. In 1987, he founded The Hayhurst Career Centre, an organization that helps people squeeze more satisfaction out of life.
In 1988, he participated in the Everest expedition that would change his life. He put together a slide show of his journey, and soon came to realize that this was much more than a travel story. He began to compare his experience on the mountain with the challenges we all face in daily life, and found that his Everest climb was a powerful metaphor for defining success. Gradually, a valuable message took shape. He called that message The Right Mountain. Today, Jim Hayhurst presents the Right Mountain speech and slide show to businesses and organizations around the world, helping to change the lives of others.
Table of Contents
Prologue: Climb Mount Everest?
Chapter 1: The Everest Express Team Tryouts
Building a Team, a Real Team
Chapter 2: We're All in This Together
Commitment
Chapter 3: "I'm Training for Everest and Having a Little Trouble On This Hill!"
Body and Mind
Chapter 4: Stairs and Beer Versus The Fitness Institute
Everybody Is Different
Chapter 5: You Don't Just Go to Everest
Bite-Sized Pieces
Chapter 6: High-Tech Climbers and Barefoot Porters
Motivation Makes the Difference Every Time
Chapter 7: You Can't Carry a Full Pack On the First Day
Life Is Not a Macho Sport
Chapter 8: Seven Asses
Set Clear Goals and Communicate Them Clearly
Chapter 9: The Children of Nepal
Involve Others
Chpater 10: Leeches, Leeches Everywhere
Is It Going to Change the World?
Chapter 11: Crossing a Landslide— Step...by...Step
Team Bonding
Chapter 12: In the Path of an Avalanche
Sometimes You Have to Be Lucky
Chapter 13: The Corn Woman
Keeping Perspective
Chapter 14: How Far Is Too Far?
You Can't Go Full Tilt All the Time
Chapter 15: Sometimes You Lead, Sometimes You Follow
Everyone Has a Role
Chapter 16: Jimmy's Life at Stake
Sometimes You Have to Leave Them Alone
Chapter 17: Our Only Chance to Save Jimmy
Sometimes You Have to Let Somebody Else Do It
Chapter 18: Another Hundred Pounds of Corn
Everyone Has a Load to Carry
Chapter 19: The Challenges In Front of Us
You Can Learn a Lot by Looking Back
Chapter 20: Climbing In the Clouds
When You Don't Know What to Do, Do It Slowly
Chapter 21: Sleeping On a 3,000-Foot Vertical
It Is Amazing What You Can Do
Chapter 22: Cerebral Edema Strikes Two of Our Climbers
The Laws of Nature Cannot Be Violated
Chapter 23: I Push Myself Too Far
Balance
Chapter 24: Now We Are a Real Team
You Have to Live and Work Together to Really Know Each Other
Chapter 25: Everest
Define Roles and Goals
Chapter 26: The Thrill of Being There— At Base Camp
Don't Get Cocky— Don't Forget the Lessons Learned
Chapter 27: Death at 17,000 Feet
Know Yourself
Chapter 28: Ric Gets Pulmonary Edema
Core Values— Vital Signposts of Life
Chapter 29: A Second Death Crystallizes the Message
The Right Mountain
Chapter 30: Final Preparations for the Climb to the Peak
Establishing Priorities
Chapter 31: I Have To Turn Back
Decision Making
Chapter 32: Jimmy Hits the Wall
Using Core Values
Chapter 33: The Team Goes On
Security and Support Systems
Chapter 34: The Final Assault
What Is the Definition of Success?
My Definition of Success...
Next Steps
Exercise I
Exercise II
Exercise III
Exercise IV
Exercise V
Thanks
Author's Note