Hello, everyone.

This is Enta.

Lately, I've been going hiking.

Why do I climb?

Well, that's...

No, to be honest, there's really no deep reason behind it, lol.

If you search online for “the thrill of mountain climbing,” you’ll find all sorts of grand phrases like “sense of accomplishment,” “breathtaking views,” and “oneness with nature” (lol).

Personally, I didn't feel anything particularly grand about it; I climbed it with a fairly lighthearted attitude.

But this “casual attitude” is actually a bit of a problem, lol.

After walking a short distance, a steep hill appears right in front of you.

Just when I thought the path was going to stay gentle, there was another sudden steep climb.

My thighs are burning, I'm out of breath—I take a sip of water and keep climbing.

I shove some chocolate or a snack into my mouth before I run out of energy.

It's too late to restock after you've run out. (Crisis management is important, lol.)

Fatigue hits you all at once, and you just can't move anymore.

"Why am I doing something so exhausting?"

I think that every time lol

After climbing for a while, you’ll come to a spot where the view suddenly opens up.

After walking along a dark, narrow mountain path up to that point, the scene suddenly opened up.

This is where I finally feel at ease.

And finally, the summit.

"Yayyyyy! We're finally hereeeee!"

I do feel that way to some extent.

However, after a short break, it’s downhill from here.

The descent goes much more smoothly than the climb up.

It’s a bit of a relief, but another mishap occurred here as well.

My knees are starting to hurt lol (typical old guy)

I managed to make my way down the mountain, despite the pain.

Ever since that happened, I've been working my legs really hard at the gym, and I've even started heat training to boost my lung capacity lol.

For some reason, I've been working on building a body that can't be beaten.

And then, some time later, I’ll climb that same mountain again.

And all it does is make things really tough.

I even catch myself thinking, "Am I an idiot??" lol

---

But that's beside the point.

The other day, while I was climbing a mountain in Nepal...

It just occurred to me.

"Ah, so this is what they mean when they say mountain climbing is like life," I thought.

You know how people always say...

Steep hills, gentle paths, open views, and knee pain on the downhill stretches.

I found myself thinking, “All of this can be applied to some part of life.”

Since we’re on the topic, I thought I’d take this opportunity to reimagine this mountain hike from the perspectives of three different groups—“office workers,” “business owners,” and “high school students”—and share my own thoughts on it, just for fun lol.

Office Workers and Mountain Climbing

I think the biggest hurdles for office workers are probably “job transfers,” “promotion exams,” and “unreasonable deadlines.”

Just when you're letting your guard down on a smooth stretch of road, your boss suddenly dumps a tough assignment on you.

Is it because my thighs are getting so sore that I feel like my stamina is being drained by all this overtime!? lol

The key here is the “rations” I eat while I’m in the mountains.

It's too late to rest once you've run out of energy.

I take a bite of the chocolate before it breaks.

For office workers, this means taking paid time off before you get too worn out, or making sure to get proper rest on the weekends,

I think it's a matter of taking the initiative to handle those small supply tasks in advance.

And then, the view that opened up.

That's the sense of accomplishment you feel when the project you're in charge of has reached a milestone, isn't it?

One thing to watch out for here, though, is that “my knees hurt even when I’m going downhill,” lol.

Once you get promoted, you’ll face a whole new set of challenges: managing your subordinates.

The summit wasn't the finish line, lol

Once you reach the top, another downhill stretch begins.

Something I often see on the job is people who used to work really hard and were highly regarded when they were younger, but who seem to be struggling as soon as they become foremen or supervisors.

Climbing as a player and descending while leading others—the muscles you use are completely different, aren't they?

To use a mountain analogy, it’s like how your thighs get stronger from climbing, but your knees get sore from going downhill, lol (That’s totally me!)

So if you think, “Yay, things are going to get easier” when you get a promotion or a transfer, you’ll usually be disappointed lol.

A new position always comes with its own set of challenges.

But if I knew what lay ahead—including that—I could prepare myself mentally.

As you repeat it over and over again, it gets easier and easier, and you'll become a pro!

Since this is your second time doing this type of work, you must be a pro at it by now, right!? lol

If it's the third time, then...

Mountain Climbing for Business Leaders

I think mountain climbing for business executives is even more challenging.

Since I run a small business myself, I really feel it lol (or maybe I’m feeling it way too much lol).

For business owners, the biggest challenges are cash flow, fluctuations in orders, and employees leaving the company.

If you let your guard down, thinking the road ahead is smooth, one day a major client will suddenly pull out.

Far from just getting sore thighs, sometimes my heart almost stops lol (not really funny).

And this is where it differs most from mountain climbing.

Office workers just need to climb the ladder on their own.

But as a business leader, you have to lead all your employees—your fellow travelers—up the mountain.

It doesn't mean anything to just refuel yourself and be the only one standing at the summit, does it?

Make sure employees recharge before they run out of energy.

By “support” here, I mean salary, time off, and an environment that makes you feel, “I’m glad I work for this company.”

That "Yay!" we feel when we reach the summit is all thanks to our employees, so it’s entirely their achievement.

Because we all share that together as a team, we can climb the next mountain, right?

To be honest, I think the hardest part of a business leader’s journey is that you can’t see the summit.

For office workers, the mountain they face still has a clear finish line in sight—they know that once this project is done, they’ll have reached the end.

But when it comes to running a business, just when you think you’ve reached the top, you realize you’re already climbing another mountain—and you can see the next, even higher one on the horizon.

If I'm unlucky, I might even see the valley lol

There might even be a trap! lol

Just when I thought, “I managed to turn a profit last year—okay, time to catch my breath,” this year material costs are going up, labor costs are going up, and before I knew it, I was at rock bottom!?

I have to climb all the way back up again lol

I will continue to recharge my own energy—and that of my employees—before we run out.

There are no flashy shortcuts—in the end, it all comes down to steady, consistent effort.

I think that for a small company like ours to survive, we probably have to take that kind of gritty, step-by-step approach, lol.

High School Students' Mountain Climbing

Last but not least are the high school students.

I think mountain climbing for high school students is probably the first time in their lives they’re seriously climbing a mountain under their own power.

I made this one about high school students this time, but it’s the same for elementary and middle school students—at any stage, really lol.

Are the steep hills in life exam prep, club activities, or relationships?

"Why am I putting myself through such a hard time studying?"

I bet high school students think this every day, lol.

However, if I had to share just one thing I’ve learned from the mountains (in my 50 years of life so far),

"Even if you can't see what lies ahead, as long as you keep moving forward step by step without stopping, a path will open up someday."That's the point.

When I'm walking along a dark, narrow mountain trail, I start to wonder if there really is a summit.

But if you keep winding your way up, the view will definitely open up somewhere. It’s guaranteed!

I think that while we're still in high school, we're right in the middle of that first steep climb.

So, refuel before you run out of energy!

In other words, get plenty of sleep, eat well, and play to your heart's content!!

"I hope you don't forget this," the old guy thinks lol

Even when you reach the summit, life doesn't end there.

An old guy who used to work for us—a 75-year-old slope worker—used to say, “I’m just a late bloomer…” lol

It’s the start of a downhill stretch, but there’s another mountain ahead.

But the experience of climbing that first mountain on my own two feet will stay with me forever.

That’s what I truly believe after 30 years of working in the field.

When I was younger, there was a time when I didn't know why I was working.

I was just getting through the tasks right in front of me, and I couldn't see the future at all.

But once I finish a project, things do start to look a little clearer.

"Oh, so I can do this much on my own," I thought.

That small scene gives me the strength to climb up to the next worksite.

I find myself thinking, “Next time, I’ll do it this way” or “I’ll do it that way.” (Even on tough shoots.)

Experience is what shapes your entire life! Even the tough times are essential!

Even pointless things are essential!

I think studying and club activities in high school are probably the same.

You might not be able to see the view right now since you're in the middle of a steep climb, but the view that greets you once you reach the top will gradually sink in later.

You can only figure it out later.

Everything comes from the results of our experiences.

Sometimes, after going through something over and over again, you can get a vague sense of the outcome in advance. (It's just a guess, lol.)

 

Depending on your perspective, the mountain you climb, the steepness of the slope, and even what you bring for sustenance—everything is different.

But what they all have in common is that “even if you start climbing without taking it too seriously, it’s still a struggle until you reach the top,” and,

I think what it means is, “If you don’t stop walking, the view will eventually open up.”

I'm such an idiot—even though I just end up struggling every single time, I still work out my legs at the gym and climb the same mountain all over again, lol.

 

But I guess that's part of the fun.

Maybe I'm just trying to convince myself that it's fun.

Life is all about self-suggestion! lol

Is it just that I think the view looks all the more beautiful when I open it up because it was such a struggle!?

Up there in the mountains of Nepal, I found myself idly wondering if that’s probably how life works, lol.

And once again, in the mountains of Nepal, I was swarmed by high school students who kept urging me, “Eat some candy! Drink some juice! Eat some peanuts!!”

And they just kept talking at me in Nepali-English, and even though I tried to refuse, they told me it wasn't going to work lol

You're so kind!!

Will you be okay getting home?

"Can I make it home on my own?" lol

To some old guy lol (Like, it even has GPS lol)

They're 17—the same age as my dad, lol

For some reason, people used to call me "Daddy" lol

Nepalese people are kind, diligent, and hardworking.

 

If you'd like to hire a Nepali technical intern, please let me know.

I’ll introduce you to a reliable union. Of course, I don’t get any kickbacks for this lol.

If you want, I'll even go to Nepal with you and do the interview?? lol

But I just want to go to the mountains for one day!

 

See you later.