Last week, I had the opportunity to spend sometime in the beautiful mountains of Sedona, AZ. When I reached, my Airbnb host informed me that I had the opportunity to be a part of a guided hike to the top of Bell Rock, if interested. Always ready for new challenges, I immediately called the guide and got myself a spot. Little did I know when I left home that morning that this would be my first adventure in rock climbing.
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
is like signing up for your first climb to the top of Bell Rock. You don’t know what you will be confronted with when you first start your journey. Surprises and ambiguity is part of the excitement and adventure. Embrace it and you will keep moving forward.
When I reached the parking lot at 9am that Tuesday morning, six excited adventurers greeted me. The hike started easy for the first few feet and all of a sudden, a rock face confronted us. I looked up at this steep climb that I had not anticipated. Our guide informed us that there are three challenges (as he called them) to get to the top. Each challenge increasingly more difficult than the previous one. I hesitated at the very first challenge and my guide asked me why? I said I didn’t think I could climb. He said it was just like walking. Find the foot holds and put one foot in front of the other. And I did, and completed the first challenge!
1. Mentors and Advisers
You cannot innovate and create a successful business alone. You need advisers and mentors to guide you along the way. The role of a mentor is to guide you up the rock face. A mentor will tell you where to put your foot, but will allow you to do the climb on your own. A mentor comes with experience and knows the rock in and out. S(he) has traversed this road before, knows the challenges, how to overcome the challenges, the shortcuts and the best way forward. Find mentors and advisers who can support you and guide you in your innovation and entrepreneurship journey.
We were starting our second challenge now. The climb was steeper than the first and I got stuck at a particular spot, unable to put one foot in front of the other. One of my co-climbers walked back to me and said “trust yourself and your legs.” These words worked like magic. As soon as she said that I walked up the slope like it was a flat road
2. Build a network
Innovation and entrepreneurship is a team sport. You will need a team to support you and cheer you. Sometimes you will get stuck, overwhelmed or disheartened and unable to move. That is when your network will tell you to “trust yourself” and move forward. This encouragement is invaluable, as it will keep you going when you think you cannot do it anymore. Your network will also provide you with valuable insights on how they circumvented similar challenges. And sometimes your network will hold your hand and help you clear a particularly difficult jump.
We were at our final and most difficult challenge. We had traversed 2/3rd of the distance and there was no turning back. There were two ways to the top. All my co-climbers decided to take the more challenging way up. Our guide stayed with me and took me up the “easier” way. As I kept putting one foot in front of the other, I only thought about how to keep moving. I didn’t think how far I had to go, or whether I could do it. I didn’t have that luxury. One wrong move and I would drop down the mountain face. As I kept climbing, I could finally see the light streaming through, one last step, and I was at the top of Bell Rock!
The view from the top was gorgeous. But, the elation I felt of having completed the climb could not be defined. I had jumped in feet first, put myself out of my comfort zone and emerged at the top. Once on top, we took our time to enjoy and celebrate our success. We had officially done that which only a few thousand people in this world had accomplished. We were humbled and proud.
3. Get to work
Sometimes you will have to lock yourself in a room and get things done. Sometimes thinking about how long before I get there, or can I get there is not an option. The only way to do it is to keep putting one foot in front of the other. As you double down on getting it done, don’t lose sight of what you are doing and why you are doing it. Keep your route, goals and final destination in mind. There will be more than one way to get your there. Pick the one that makes most sense to you.
4. Celebrate your success
You know that you have chosen the path less traveled. You know it is challenging and it takes a lot of hard work. So when you accomplish your milestones, take a moment, to relax, sit back and celebrate. Celebrate with your team and let them know you couldn’t have done it alone.
5. Be humble
Have confidence in yourself and humility in the face of the challenge. Be proud of your achievements but keep your ego in check. Your team, network and mentors will coach you and support you only if they believe that you are coachable and humble enough to learn.
Whether you are an intrapreneur or entrepreneur, innovation is a journey that will put you out of your comfort zone and present you with unexpected challenges. With the right support, mentorship, planning and execution, you will be able to find the best way forward. As you embark on this journey, keep an open mind, listen to input, pivot when required and always make objective decisions.