One Step at a Time on Lobuche (6,119 m)

I started the New Year by summiting Lobuche, 6,119 m (20,075 ft), six days from NYC to the summit. I was fortunate to do this alongside my uncle, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, who has summited Everest 29 times, placing him among the climbers with the most Everest ascents in the world.

During the climb, he told me something simple that stayed with me: the people who struggle most in the mountains are often the over‑thinkers. At altitude, you can’t afford to get stuck in your head, worrying about every scenario, every piece of gear, every possible danger. You prepare carefully, stay aware, and then take the next step. Your focus isn’t on the summit. It’s on the step in front of you.

“Your focus isn’t on the summit. It’s on the step in front of you.”

That stayed with me.

Some lessons in life can’t be learned from books, podcasts, or theories. They get etched into you through experience, through discomfort, doubt, and effort. One step at a time. And that’s part of the beauty of it.

Up there, I was reminded of the value of doing. Of staying present. Of focusing on what’s right in front of you instead of being overwhelmed by what’s ahead. There’s a real difference between knowing something in theory and understanding it through experience. Reading about resilience from a couch in a library is one thing. Breathing thin air, moving slowly, and conserving energy is another.

My time in the mountains taught me lessons that I can’t download or memorize.

Grateful for this journey and for the perspective it brought.