Climbing the Mountain (and Why I Think Sisyphus Might’ve Had It Right)
So I climbed Snowdon out in the Welsh Valleys.
The mountain looked beautiful from a distance—and was brutal when we got on it.
Rain. then heat. queuing to summit. Allowed for silence that makes you confront your own thoughts.
And as we waited to summit and I ate a soggy protein bar, I thought about Sisyphus.
Yes, that Sisyphus—the Greek king condemned by the gods to roll a boulder up a hill for eternity, only to watch it roll back down each time.
Endless. Pointless. Cruel. Or was it?
Welsh Valleys
What If the Climb Is the Point?
Albert Camus wrote an essay in the 1940s where he flips the myth on its head.
He imagined Sisyphus not as a victim—but as free. Why? Because he accepts the struggle. He finds dignity in it. Even joy. He chooses to keep pushing. On that cold, wet mountain in Wales, that landed for me.
Because climbing a literal mountain isn’t that different from building a team, growing a business, raising a family—or trying to lead in a world that moves faster than ever.
You push. It slides back. You show up again.
The Only way is up ?
False Summits and Everyday Myths
Modern life is full of false summits. We chase promotions, recognition, impact. We hit one goal only to see another appear on the horizon. You tell yourself, “Once I get there, it’ll get easier.” But it doesn’t. Because there keeps moving.
We’ve built a culture obsessed with endpoints. But life doesn’t work like that. Neither does leadership. You never really arrive. You just keep showing up. That’s the work.
The Difference Between Stuck and Still Showing Up
Now, here’s the twist. Sisyphus didn’t choose the boulder. He was punished. But we often choose ours. We pick the challenge. The responsibility. The cause. That changes everything.
I wasn’t stuck on that mountain—I chose it. I wanted the burn in my legs. The silence. The discomfort. Because something happens when you take on the climb willingly: it stops being a trap and starts becoming a training ground.
Onwards & ………….
Was Sisyphus actually a Leader ?
Not because he succeeded. But because he didn’t quit. He faced the same task every day—and still pushed. Not for applause. Not for outcome. But for meaning.
Can we say the same?
The Real Lessons are found in the Suck !
The top doesn’t teach you much. The climb does. It shows you where you give up, where you grind on, where your inner voice flips between “I can’t” and “maybe I can.” It’s in the hard parts that your beliefs get tested—and reshaped.
False summits aren’t failure. They’re part of it. You climb towards a peak, only to find it’s not the final one. That can crush you—or it can grow your resilience. I’ve come to see these moments not as setbacks, but as reminders that progress is rarely straight.
And progress itself? It’s not reaching the top. It’s returning to the path. Again and again.
What’s Your Boulder?
Are you dragging it—or pushing it? Are you stuck—or strengthening?
Is your mountain giving you energy—or draining it? You don’t need to love the grind. But you do need to own it.
Because meaning doesn’t come from the view. It comes from the climb.🪨🏔️
Here's to a Bright Future rooted in our Rich Past .
#Leadership #Mindset #Sisyphus #Camus #Resilience #ClimbingMountains #RealTalk #MatthewSyedStyle #GrowthInTheClimb
