The Climber (Who's Built An Exit Strategy And Secretly Wondering If They're Climbing The Wrong Mountain) [4/6]

You’ve been working hard.

You show up consistently and do what's required to get the job done. You also have a regular training program, a healthy diet that still allows you to indulge in a pizza and a couple of beers on the weekend. Your weekends are filled with adventures, social events, and time with your feet up catching up with your favourite shows. And if you're not already engaged with them, things like ice baths, breathwork, and podcasts that provoke thought are already starting to hit your radar.

You’ve been chasing a version of success that society celebrates. It feels good. And you're on your way up. You're not exactly where you want to be right now, but you're heading in the right direction, and momentum is building. So is your reputation.

And yet… Somewhere in between all the effort and ambition— you're already building an exit strategy.

There's a part of you that doesn't want to be doing this forever.

The Uncomfortable Truth

You don’t talk about it much, not publicly, anyway. But the thought is there, running in the background like the tab on your browser that's been open for a few days, that you keep promising you'll come back to.

You think: “If I just keep this up for another 5… 10… maybe 15 years—I’ll be free.”

That’s the game, right? Work hard now. Buy the house. Stack the investments. Hit a level of financial safety that lets you finally step back, breathe deeper, and then, you'll have the time and monetary freedom to do what you want. And to be fair, you’re nailing the brief.

This lifestyle is beautiful, and it's one that your friends look at and admire. But if you were to be honest with yourself? What you're doing in order to create that is requiring you to put what you really want to be doing on hold until the hard work is done. It’s a quiet ache buried under all that progress and success. It's a whisper that says: This isn’t the mountain I want to spend my life climbing.

So you've planned your exit.

Not because you’re weak or ungrateful or entitled— but because something inside you knows this version of life is only meant to be a bridge. A means to an end. Not the whole damn journey.

And this exit plan kind of works… until it doesn’t.

Here’s the thing: the longer you stay in something that isn’t quite right, the more energy it takes to hold it all together.

The more your body starts to resist. The more your joy flattens out. The more your mind races at night while you lie awake, wondering how to get out of this faster. You don't see a problem in your approach, nor a problem in your exit strategy. You're quietly wondering if there's a way that you can get there faster.

Which really indicates the root problem. How you're doing life? It's not cutting it. And you find yourself moving towards more vices like alcohol and comfort food just to take the edge off. Maybe you've even traded some of these in for healthier ones: the intense workouts, the Wim Hof breathing, the mountain hikes, the weekend getaways.

These all help and they're great experiences of life. But they can’t fix how you feel inside.

Because deep down… you’re not tired from working hard. You’re tired from working hard on the wrong thing. You're tired of forcing yourself to do something you don't really want to be doing so you can have the lifestyle you desire.

That’s what this moment is trying to show you.

This isn’t about giving up.

This is about being honest.

About the fact that you've followed the rules and played the game… and you're starting to realise the prize at the end might not be worth what it's costing you to keep going.

And no, you're not going to quit tomorrow. You're not going to sell your house and move to Bali or finally “go all in” on your side project just yet. (Although… maybe one day.) But you are allowed to admit that this current trajectory isn't what you really want.

You are allowed to want a life that doesn’t feel like a countdown to retirement. You are allowed to stop pretending that chasing an outcome five years from now makes up for how disconnected you feel today.

And that, right there—that’s your focus point.

Your Focus Point: Reclaiming Energy From the Exit Strategy

If you're already planning your exit strategy, your heart probably isn't in it.
Now it’s just about catching up to that truth.

If you don't think it's crazy to have an exit strategy, imagine meeting the love of your life, and then at 65 (or earlier) being told that you can never ever see them again. Crazy right? The only reason you want an exit strategy is because you don't really love what you're doing.

So here's what I’d recommend, if you’re ready to meet that:

• Audit: No, not your time — your energy. What drains you, and what gives something back? What would you gladly keep doing even if no one saw it or paid you for it? What do you bang on about with your mates? There's some clues for what's really important to you. Sit down with a pen and paper and score everything in your life based on how it makes you feel whilst you're doing it. Just take notice and how much time you're spending on those things that are 1-4.
  

• Space: Ease the pressure valve. Say no to one thing you usually say yes to (something that you don't really want to be doing anyway!) and notice what you feel in that space. Anxiety? Relief? Guilt? Excitement? Good. Creating space is helping you breathe and feel into what's important.
  

• Explore: Play in that thing you love so much. The one you keep telling yourself you’ll get to eventually. The thing that lights you up even when you’re tired. Let it back in. Even if it’s just for an hour. Even if it’s just in secret. And if you already do that, but you haven't yet created an idea of how you can get paid to do this? Maybe it's time to let your mind run wild and toy with the idea of working hard on that.
  

• Stillness: Even the thought of this=Kryptonite. Taking time out for you to be still is paramount, because without it, you'll build a life that you a) want to escape from and b) will look back on once you retire and question if you followed the right path for you.

  
  
  

Before You Go…

You don’t need to change everything.
And you certainly don’t need to explain yourself to anyone.

But if you're already writing your exit strategy... maybe it's time to ask why you're sacrificing yourself and your happiness for 40+ hours a week for a life that looks great on paper but only feels good on nights and weekends. This isn't about saying "fuck it!" and letting it all go. It's about starting to create space so something new and exciting can be built. Because you're already capable. And you'll work hard no matter what. This is about creating space so you can work hard on what truly matters... to you.

This is about creating a roadmap for your life that doesn't involve you needing an exit plan, but rather a strategy on how you can keep doing this thing for the rest of your life because you love it so much.

With so much love,
Adam x

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