Summiting Mt. Everest: In your Underwear!

Ever think of doing something out of the box? How about way out of the box, so far out that it almost drops off the face of the planet? Imagine summiting Mount Everest in nothing but your underwear. Better yet why not add a pair of socks with it. Atleast it would keep your feet warm. And how about that photograph at the top; a string of flags, clouds and snow capped mountains a little below in the background, and singular figure, wearing only his snow goggles, an oxygen mask, his underwear, and a pair of socks.

It is well known and little mentioned fact that we all would like to lead a full life, a life without regrets. It is a path that we all wish to tread, but few who really do.

Right through most our lives, we are subject to numerous incidents and experiences. If our lives are a tad on the conservative side, we are led to believe (should we be willing or wanting to listen) that to fulfill it to its true potential we must take risks. We must take those leaps of faith every once in a while. ‘Take a chance for a change.’ We are told. We are asked to do so on various levels, from free-advising friends and family to paid-in-cash gurus, self-help experts, and several other forums that preach this (some of whom actually even follow it themselves!).

But between all that priming of motivation and sense of euphoria we are brought to feel and experience in any such forum of discussion, to truly live a regret-free life, there is the need to understand, after the preaching of leaps and jumps and chances come this:
The fine print, and the disclaimer.

Understanding this is just as important, as not all of us will blindly turn into the flower children of the 70s, a Rembrandt who will cut his ear off, or a Reinhold Messner, the first to climb Mt. Everest without oxygen.

First, the disclaimer by everyone who exudes advice to you:
Do so at your own risk. What I said is merely a suggestion.
Realize that your life is your own, all that you do first affects you.

And secondly, the fine print:
There are primarily 3 directions to living life.
The first one is to live conservatively, which roughly translates to a sedate life, where decisions made cause life to be relatively routine, a safe life, a satisfactory life, one that the majority of the world lives.
The second way of living is one with risks. Now this second way of life can be further divided into various levels of risks that he or she is willing to partake in. These would be in a band from relatively low risk taking (just a touch better than being a conservative), to a calculated risk taker (this is where one aims to be), to extreme risk-taking, where one begins to get arrogant with life.
And there is the third kind of living, which can be in simple words, termed as reckless- an adrenaline junkie, a higher calling, this way of living has many names. This last one is usually avoided by most, lest he or she is one of them overzealous lots or self destructive ones, looking forward to cause harm, either physical or mental to themselves or to those close them. These are sometimes the world changers. These are also the ones who die by the hundreds without so much as an acknowledgement of having lived. These are the ones who live off the edge of a sword.

Now there are boundary lines on each of these ways of life. These however need to be defined if one is to understand his or her niche. Now, these definitions are not etched in stone, but open to interpretation. The plan is to ‘understanding ones appetite for life and risk and where the person will find happiness’ (It’s a little like finding out by trial and error what your drinking capacity is, this ofcourse can get messy at times, but it is an acceptable evil none the less. And if it isn’t, it very well should be.).

This is an important decision.

Once decided as to which fold of life you belong to, and you have a certain picture in mind with regard to how you believe your life would be lived to the fullest, understand that it is at 90% of pushing yourself towards it, that you would be at your epitome, regardless of what fold you belong to. You would have lived the best you can, because it is more likely than not, that last 10% of your life wants or desires would border reckless with regard to you – ‘Death or Glory’ comes to mind at this point.

Try to understand the differentiation between the 90% and the 10%.
Here, it is important to make your own understanding of what you believe is comfort, risk and being reckless. Following are a few examples that work for me:
At the risk of sounding chauvinistic, if you are a woman, in a city where it is not safe to travel late at night, then getting drunk at a bar and after, trying to find a way home at 3am is reckless. It is not cool.
If you are hooked on to anything, and have a difficult time admitting it to yourself even if people around you seem to keep telling you about it, you are being reckless.
If you are tired of your job, and want to find something else to do, you just up and quit without a clue, you are a high risk taker. If you are a family man and have responsibilities and the sole bread winner, and still do the same, then you are being reckless.
If you know what your drinking capacity is and you push for another round of drinks and decide to drive, it is also reckless.
And my personal favorite: If you are trying to climb Everest in your underwear alone, you are being reckless… and stupid. (Note from experience: adding socks will not help. They will only get wet and make you colder).

Each one of us must find what fold of living we belong to. Each of us must ask ourselves this question, and understand ourselves. Find your direction of living. Understand the risks involved, your risk appetite, what would make you happiest and let you sleep well at night.

After that, go for broke!