As part of becoming a more prepared hiker, I’ve talked to several more seasoned hikers; aka Randy Phillips among others, about what gear I should always carry with me. One of the things Randy specifically mentioned a year ago was to get a set of Gear Ties. Getting them as a Christmas gift a year ago, my family wondered why I would ever need them, and after carrying them for 11 months, without using them once; I started to wonder that has well. Now in the course of four days, I have needed them twice to fix traction gear for people I was hiking with. And without having them, we would have had to cancel the hikes. We are encouraged to be prepared for the unexpected events in life, but so often we don’t want to make the investment to prepare or to have to carry things for a long time without using them.
In hiking, there are several “10 Essentials” lists that are out there, telling us what we need to carry with us all the time: water, food, first aid kit, navigation, clothing; main ones we use all the time. But then there are the gear ties and other more obscure items that most of us never think we will need in an emergency on a hike. And these are some of the things we will need most. Having now used the Gear Ties, I’m rethinking my “10 Essentials”, and will have them with me on all my hikes. Note to self, just because I have the 10 essentials, it doesn’t do me any good, if I forget to bring my pack or leave it in the car on a hike.
In my personal life, I can also come up with the essentials I need to work on to have all the time. The big one for me is have that 3 to 6 months of savings in the bank; for those times of unemployment and financial emergencies. It takes time and effort to be disciplined to create this savings and I hope I never have to use it, but it’s so important to have. Having a regular exercise routine and being at the right weight, is also very important. I think our recovery time from physical accidents is largely determined by our health before the accident. A strong body and proper weight gives our injuries a boost in our recovery time. Then there are the friendships. People we invest in over the course of a lifetime. Great friends take time and intentionally to cultivate and make strong. We have to make sacrifices to build those relationships. And in doing that, we allow ourselves to be available to each other in times of crisis.
At work, a large part of our essentials are the new skills we are learning, our resume, and LinkedIn profile. Things that consistently need to be worked on and updated. We can become very comfortable with the skills we have, since we have “made it” into our current position. Our resumes need to be updated on a quarterly basis, and we should be hitting LinkedIn at least once a week. How much time do we spend on Face Book verses LinkedIn? And which one is going to provide more professional value to me? Like the essentials we need for hiking and our personal life, we don’t pay much attention to the essentials we need for our work life. But if we ever find ourselves having to find a new job, we can be starting in the hole, because our professional presence isn’t where it should be.
What are the essentials you need to carry with you to be successful in your hiking, personal, and work life? As you evaluate them, keep a long-term view. Some of them you may not need for one or even five years. But there will come a time when you do need them. And having them may make a significance on your ability to response to the events in your life.
Al Andersen 