Pursuits as mountains

I think framing our pursuits as mountains that we climb is a good method for improving our high-level pathfinding capability - seeing ourselves on the mountain from a bird's eye view elicits unused intuition and useful questions.

Things hard to see from ground level become very obvious. It's immediately evident that most pursuits have a few "best-trodden" paths, those most visible and socially acceptable, but are often packed with competitors and incentive traps like stable career tracks that capture those who start with safety and comfort. These can look like the only paths when we're focused on the steps close ahead, but zoom out and we notice that all around the mountain there are far more trails than the canon would lead us to believe.

We'll also notice common strategic negligences. Most people don't search enough for mountains (and trails, and climbing partners) suited for themselves before focusing on the immediately visible steps in front of them, and don't pay attention to the stories and hints from those who've already climbed higher or are now on their way down.

When we really observe and investigate the patterns in the geography and the other climbers, it becomes clear that there are methods we can employ to improve our odds, rate of ascent, and most importantly, if that particular mountain is what we really want to climb in the long run. We can save thousands of hours and prevent lots of heartbreak if we look to answer this question near the foothills.

For the most challenging pursuits the most important thing is trying to viscerally feel the beauty and divinity of the climb, the span of feelings in ourselves as we journey, and the rewarding nature and worthwhile details along the way. This perception is what sustains our vitality and lets us persist through setbacks and difficult portions - without it the challenges of the climb can easily make us too embittered or intimidated to continue.