You're not the expert anymore

I am a consultant, after all, and I am seen as an expert. While in Puentas Arenas I traveled with a group mostly composed of people from the American west coast, predominantly Seattle and Alaska. These guys were outdoor enthusiasts and experienced hikers and campers. For sure, I was the Rip van Winkle of the trip. It had been 30 years since I’d last slept in a tent and 20 since I’d last curled up in a sleeping bag. The last time I’d hiked was July of the previous year, and this trip was in the middle of February.

During the hike, I learned that headlamps are useful camping equipment. There are such things as “stuff sacks,” which are high-tech nylon bags with straps that compress your sleeping bag—and which require an advanced degree, in my opinion, to use. There were more lessons: wearing cotton can give you hypothermia in the damp or cold rain; wearing synthetics can save your life.

It was challenging to see that there are areas of life in which I am not an expert. There was nothing theoretical about this experience. It was action-in-the-moment. I was dependent on others to help me—once, guides had to physically assist me down from a live volcano. I learned to push aside my ego and accept the help. I brought that powerful experience home with me.