I climbed to 5,137 meters high to learn something obvious.

I climbed to 5,137 meters high to learn something obvious.
And the higher I climbed, the more basic it became.

Last week I stood on the highest point of my life: on the top of Mt. Ararat, together with fellow INSEAD & IMD adventurers.

Thin air. Little sleep. Heavy legs. And that inner voice asking, "Can we really do this?"
Here's what I learned: mountains have a way of stripping everything down to what actually matters.

8 people. 3 continents. 18 languages between us.
But up there? There were no differences, just the shared love for the mountains and the dream to stand on top.

On the way up, especially in the final push with -10 degrees and 35 km/h wind, we realized something: everything else falls away except trust and teamwork.

What struck me: no one was trying to be the hero. We all just naturally adjusted to each other's rhythm. Sometimes you're the one offering a hand, sometimes you're grateful to receive one.

Let me be honest - to my surprise, the greatest pleasure wasn't actually standing on the summit.
It was the downtime spent in camps. Connecting with each other. Letting everything just sit in. Feeling the sun and breeze on my skin.

The mountain reminded me what I already knew but sometimes I forget: connection with ourselves, with nature, and with each other is what makes the climb worthwhile. On the Ararat, and beyond.

Grateful for the experience Irina Radzikhovskaya Sanita Pukite Tony Idugboe Kristof Storms Kamlesh Dookayka, PhD, eMBA Sumati Rajput and the amazing trip organized by Sean Burgess 🙏

What mountain are you climbing now?

#change #teamwork #ararat #imd