The objective of this book is to inform, educate, inspire, and motivate individuals and groups toward understanding oneself and others through a literal or virtual mountain climbing experience. The aim is to introduce the reader to a literary journey that involves the process and the act of mountain climbing. This book brings forth the recognition that, just as literal mountains may be comprised of rocks, trees, ice, snow, and dirt, either singularly or in any combination, so, too, are we, as individuals, comprised of differing traits, strengths, values, mores, and beliefs that offer both specific strengths and weaknesses that alternate given the environment that surround us, the situation presented to us and what we feel within us. A volcanic mountain, it should be noted, is more representative to one's inner self. Similar to that of this 'living rock', changes occur subtly, deep within us, sometimes immediate and many times occurring unnoticed by us over long periods of time. Like the sudden sight of smoke or vibrations felt from underground, it is only during the external expression of change do we realize that we, and those around us, are merely experiencing the change that has long since occurred. The inherent volatility of this 'living rock' parallels the vulnerability, potential explosiveness, and yet the total dependencies that exist in the individual human experience, as well as within our local and world communities. These physical mountains are used as a metaphor to offer insight into understanding the dynamics and challenges that are involved in the process of climbing a virtual mountain. The mountain climbing process might become more meaningful to an explorer who climbs a virtual mountain that may ultimately take the form of realizing a goal, dream, or aspiration. This book explores the spiritual aspect of the physical mountain, particularly how the physical mountain has been a reference place for some people whose successful climb offer testimony to a life-changing experience. This mountain climbing model is useful towards attaining individual, personal or collective goals, set in areas such as education, business, wealth building, job or career development, marriage, political aspirations, geographical relocating, re-establishing oneself, raising children, leading or managing sports teams, hiring and managing a work force, or even military strategy. This "climbing a mountain model" can be used for creating a strategic map towards achieving other personal goals, such as writing a book, building a house from the ground up, or regaining physical or mental health. Similarly, for organizations, this "climbing a mountain model" can be used as a guide when setting an organization's growth plans in motion. The principles are the same. Finally, this book provides a strategic working roadmap that will transform the reader to an explorer, to a believer, and finally, to an achiever. The achiever in retrospect will be inspired to recall and then recite the most powerful words: I said I can, I know that I would, and I made it happen.
