I’m writing from a coffee shop in Copenhagen today, on a 24-hour layover on my way to Munich.

While traveling and seeing new places in the world is fun and inspiring, I usually like to have a purpose involved.

This time, one of the purposes was to hike to the top of Trolltunga in Norway.

It’s a 22k, 11 hour hike, with an extremely steep 1.5k at the beginning and end.

The scenery is off the charts, and the end of the hike (on the way down) can only be described as agony, after hiking for 10 hours you have about an hour of seep stairs to walk down (ouch knees, ankles, feet, quads, and calves!)

The price was completely worth it to be able to walk out to the tongue at the end.

One of the things I’ve been working on is taking more risks. The picture itself is cool, but I was even happier that I overcame my fear of heights to get it.

About 80 times, my mind was telling me not to go out on that ledge as I looked out at it from the side.

But understanding WHY I had a need to do it, and not getting angry with my self for “being a wimp” if I didn’t do it, led me to walking out there and getting the photo.

Anyway, this ties in to a couple of recent emails I have sent about taking risks, and the upside of stress.

When you hit that point where it seems like you can’t improve, what will keep you going is your WHY. Why is this important to you? Why do you want to do better in your race? Or finish your race for some?

What happens at the other side of following through and sticking to your plan is becoming a better version of yourself.

It could be the faster time, it could be just feeling good, and it could be a smooth swim without any major hiccups.

The stepping forward and risking and the putting yourself through stress intentionally are both beneficial to your overall well being, happiness and confidence in yourself.

Success breeds success.

If you can move through improvement of your pull, swimming calmly in a big crowd, or completing your first triathlon, there’s no telling what you can accomplish next- with your health, fitness level, speed on the course, or just becoming 10% more happy and alive.

How can you take things to new heights? What’s your “Trolltunga” that will change your life?

Befriend the water!