Erik Weihenmayer has climbed every major summit in the world. This is an incredible feat in its own right but Erik makes this accomplishment astounding due to the fact that he is blind. You’ve probably all imagined the difficulty in climbing Mt. Everest… But climbing it blind? Erik has accomplished that. Now that’s character!
Erik embodies every element of the Character Triangle. When he became unexpectedly blind as a teenager, he could have blamed the world. Instead he asked himself “what?” and “how?” he might respond. How about deciding to climb every major challenge in the world? Now that is self-accountability.
Erik’s life teaches us about respect by the way he prepares for every climb. He respects each peak and pays homage by the preparation and attention to detail. Additionally, he ropes up with every person on his team. He listens to each peak and the teams that help him reach it.
When it comes to being abundant, Erik also sets the bar. In Tibet, blindness is a basis for discrimination. When Erik became aware of this, he responded by embracing blind Tibetan kids and teaching them to climb…the pinnacle being Everest. Now that’s being abundant.
If you want to learn about someone who embodies the CT, read Erik’s book Touch the Top of the World and check out one of his videos here.
with Character,
Lorne