I had the great fortune of visiting the “Live Free or Die” State of New Hampshire this past weekend. And the trip did not disappoint! Beautiful weather, foliage in full Autumn magnificence and fresh air in abundance. Glorious! As my parents and I road-tripped up through the White Mountains, we passed the lookout point for “The Old Man of the Mountain”. And that brought back a memory that serves as a resilient takeaway for all of us.
12,000 (or so!) years ago, the glaciers dominated the mountain region in Northern New Hampshire. As the glaciers started to recede, they left a trail of carnage in their path. The solid granite rock was no match for the pressure and immensity of the glaciers as the shifting temperatures caused thawing and freezing across the state. When the glaciers finally vanished, the notches and mountain ranges stood in their full beauty. And one such mountain was adorned with a glorious profile resembling an old man etched into the granite!
The Old Man of the Mountain became the de facto symbol of New Hampshire, adorning license plates, flags, and emblems, and attracting thousands of visitors each year. Growing up, our family relished the pilgrimage to witness this majestic beauty each and every summer. It was a tradition unlike any other! And later in life, when I had my own children, I wanted them to have the same experience.
So in the summer of 2002, me, my (very) pregnant wife, and our two-year old son, Justin, road tripped from my parent’s farm up to the Mount Washington Hotel. On the way back, we passed the “Old Man” viewing area. At that point, I had a cranky toddler and an uncomfortably pregnant wife gently suggest that it would NOT be a good idea to stop.
“Let’s just keep rolling, we can always see it next year.”
It was not an ideal time, but as I eased the car off the exit, everyone calmed down and we ended up taking in all the splendor of the Old Man in the Mountain. A thrilling end to a perfect day! And it cemented our resolve to make this an annual tradition.
But we never saw The Old Man again. Less than a year later, in the morning hours of May 3, 2003, the entire stone face collapsed off the mountain! In the blink of an eye, the granite disintegrated and 12,000 years of poetic nature crumbled into dust down to the lake below. The humanity!
It was a tragic development, but it underscored an important point about resiliency. There is no “perfect” time to move forward. And we can’t take ANYTHING (even granite) for granted!
Tomorrow is Promised to No One
In our work lives, we think we have a lifetime to make an impact. We wait for optimal conditions to start a business. Or we delay our training for another year when we won’t be as busy. Or we hold off on hiring for a key position until the economy improves. Or we let a great idea germinate a little bit longer until our audience is ready. Or we promise to update our lesson plan in the summer when things settle down.
In our personal lives, we delay uncomfortable conversations for a “better” time. We wait to make amends with an estranged family member or friend until we see them in person. We wait until the New Year to lose weight, exercise or train for that marathon. Why rush into it? That giant stone face will always be there! We can always do it tomorrow, or next week, or next year.
But the reality is, tomorrow is promised to no one! We can’t take time and space for granted. Economies are not linear. Time is not infinite. People do not live forever. Opportunities crumble and resurrect like the rising and falling tides. And things might get worse before they get better. If we have talents to offer the world, NOW is the time to act. If we need to make amends, why wait until tomorrow? We need to be calm, but we also need to act with urgency! There is no “ideal” time.
Now is the Only Time
And this is especially true in a pandemic. We can’t wait for it to be “over”. We can’t put our dreams on hold until conditions improve. We can’t indefinitely hit the pause button on our lives. Resiliency requires us to move forward in spite of the circumstances. We need to take action and lean into the adversity. And we need to create our own sense of success. If we wait around forever, we might never get another opportunity!
We can’t rely on someone else to “fix” the situation. There is no perfect time to move forward. We need to take responsibility for our own success. It’s time to go on the offensive! It’s time to carve out our own future. When the path is blocked, it’s time to stay resilient and carve another path.
We need to do the work today. Tomorrow is anybody’s guess. Go visit the Old Man before it’s too late!