On the outskirts of Eugene, Oregon is a popular hiking spot called Spencer Butte. It offers several entry points for reaching the summit: 2 miles round trip; 4 miles round trip; and 5 ½ miles round trip.
Each way is ranked on a difficulty scale from moderately easy to challenging. The 2 miler is ranked moderate which my daughter thinks is generous because the elevation gain is more severe on the shortest path. The longer routes have a more gradual incline even though they require more time than the shortest route to reach the top, which for some folks is challenging.
Regardless of its difficulty score, the obvious reward of each path is reaching the summit where you can enjoy a stunning 360 degree view of the Willamette Valley, coastal range, and on a clear day, the three Sisters to the east. Sunrises and sunsets are also worth the trip but honestly—unless the butte is socked in by low clouds, you can’t beat the view throughout daylight hours.
My latest trek up to the summit of Spencer Butte got me thinking about rewards and the spectrum they exist on. A tremendous view is a common reward for many who hike the butte.
Stopping to check out the plant life growing on the forest floor on the ascent?
Not as common a reward except for people like me who love taking pictures of trillium and fiddlehead ferns and shooting stars and tree bark. The scenery going up and back along a trail offers its own kind of satisfaction.
Reaching the Summit
Rewards come in all shapes and sizes. What one person considers a huge pay off might mean diddly-squat to someone else. This is a challenge for every organization—how to reward its people who are as diverse as each hiker on the trail.
It’s also a challenge for independents/solopreneurs/freelancers who provide products and services under a brand of one. We all want to be paid well for what we do. Money is a top contender for the most popular reward. And there’s no question that people enjoy being compensated for our efforts.
Yet time and again, data reveals that beyond a certain financial threshold, money loses its importance. Other less obvious pay offs become more significant. Time freedom, autonomy, and authentic appreciation for our contributions are like seeing trillium. Or shaving time off your hiking pace. Or taking a different path up to a favorite spot for the challenge or scenery.
Knowing Yourself Is Its Own Reward
Developing the skill of self awareness requires each of us to define what rewards matter most to us and then setting out a plan to reap them. Too often, we aren’t consciously aligned with what we do each day, defaulting instead to the common track rutted deep into our cultural history. We don’t know in precise detail what the specific payoffs are for our actions. So we put up with what we get. Which leads to restlessness, dissatisfaction, and, on the darker end of the spectrum in some cases, self-sabotaging behavior.
Getting clear on the alignment between what we want and what we do can render shocking results. Ones that make you tell your friends you can’t believe the difference getting clear has made in how you feel each day. All the rewards you now receive because you’re specific about expectations, processes, approaches, and goals feel appropriate. Unease and frustration melt away.
Self awareness is a beautiful thing, truly a remarkable tool always available to anyone who wants to shed what isn’t working and experience something new that does.
How about you? Are you regularly reaching the summit of your life? Do you garner daily rewards for your efforts that feel right for the time and energy you trade for them? In what ways might your life improve if you gained alignment in this area?
Take some time to think about these questions, pinpointing the correlation between what you do each day and the overall satisfaction score you’d give yourself for your life as it is right now. If you’re inclined, share your thoughts/discoveries here.
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