It's a curious thing about summits – they are, by their very nature, small. Not everyone can stand there. It sometimes feels like this little society we carry in our heads, the one that whispers our perceived obligations and fears, would have us sell our last pair of shoes just to keep going. When you hit that point, that supposed rock bottom, it’s not just an end. It’s a crucible. It’s where the old burns away, offering a chance to seek new peaks, to avoid becoming a permanent resident of the depths. If I find myself on a summit that doesn’t resonate with what my inner self desires, if I realize it’s not my summit, then I know I haven't been true to myself, not a mere follower of others' paths.

There’s this unspoken rule, almost like a law of nature before any significant ascent: you often have to pass through the valley, through the lowest point. It’s a test. Look into the stories of so many who've built something lasting; you'll often find a chapter where they faced what seemed like ruin, where they had to let go of everything just to survive. That's the way of things. The pinnacle is narrow, exclusive. Only a few make it, and fate, it seems, has a way of testing those who aim for it.

The Humane Filter of Life’s Challenges

Think about universities and their entrance exams. It might seem harsh, but there's a deep humaneness to it. The process aims to sift, to identify those who might not have the current capacity or the fierce motivation needed for that specific path. If you’re not driven enough, or if the subject isn’t right for you, you’d likely struggle, lose your place, and waste precious time. So, it’s arguably kinder, more logical, to have these filters early on. We see these moments of intense testing in the histories of many who've achieved greatly.

The critical question then becomes: how do we prevent a crisis from becoming a full stop? How do we ensure we don't get stuck at the bottom indefinitely?

Crisis: The Crossroads of Danger and Opportunity

It’s often said that the Chinese ideogram for "crisis" combines two characters: one meaning danger, and the other, opportunity. While some languages heavily emphasize the negative, this dual perspective is powerful. A crisis can strip us bare, but in doing so, it can force us to find new bearings. When we're rigidly focused on a single goal, a single peak we’ve been climbing, a crisis might be the very thing that makes us pause and ask: Is this still the highest mountain for me? Has the landscape changed while I’ve been so focused on this one ascent?

Sometimes, we expend enormous energy trying to reclaim something lost – a debt, a past situation – hiring help, engaging in conflicts, losing our peace of mind, perhaps even acting out of character. We might not even notice that the same time and effort, invested elsewhere, could have yielded something far more significant.

Guarding Your Fundamental Freedoms

In these turbulent times, it's vital to protect three fundamental freedoms: the freedom of movement, the freedom of communication, and the freedom of information. When life events, agreements, or relationships start to demand that you limit these, it’s a warning sign. If you must concede, do so with extreme caution, always aware of what you are giving up.

The Inner Compass: Listening to Your True Wants

Learning to listen to yourself is paramount. Sigmund Freud suggested that true freedom is the ability to want what you really want. This allows you to choose your own goals, not those dictated by external pressures. Our unconscious mind is a powerful processor, taking in countless signals from our inner world every second. Its job is to repackage this information. For instance, it senses a lack of moisture and translates this into the conscious experience of "thirst," immediately highlighting ways to quench it. Suddenly, images of water, the sound of a stream, become prominent in our awareness.

This is our "dominant." A thirsty person sees potential sources of water everywhere. Someone fearful will invariably pick out signals related to their fear from the environment. If someone is fixated on, say, the number 66, they might not consciously register a passing car with the number 366, but their unconscious will flag it, drawing their attention. These projections and extractions are tied to our inner world – our fears, desires, and interests.

However, we also contend with two other structures: the "super-ego" (the "must," "should," "obligation" – society's voice in our head) and the conscious mind (logic: expensive/cheap, useful/harmful, dangerous/safe, promising/unpromising). If I don’t truly hear what I want, I might end up choosing a goal, a peak, suggested by these external or purely logical voices. I might climb for 10 or 15 years, only to reach a summit and realize with a shock: this isn't where I wanted to be. That is a true bottom. You must listen to yourself, understand your genuine needs, even if that understanding only fully dawns when you think you've reached a peak.

Riding the Currents: The Power of Flow

You have to find the flow. Divers understand this concept intimately. Fighting a strong current head-on is often futile. But currents can also be ridden. If water moves away from you and then returns, there's likely a counter-current that can aid your movement. Think of the Gulf Stream in the Atlantic; it moves at a significant speed. You could, theoretically, cross from America to Europe much faster by simply being in it, your own efforts then becoming about navigating within that larger supportive movement.

In human society, "flow" isn't defined by water temperature but by the presence of successful, happy, healthy, and enthusiastic people around you. The quality, energy, and enthusiasm of people are indicators that you've tapped into a certain societal current. Your own knowledge and effort then combine with the speed of this flow, which is often much greater than your individual capacity. It's like getting on an airplane to travel a great distance – you don't run there. But if you want to be the first one off the plane, your personal effort (running to the exit) still matters within that larger conveyance.

The Crucial Role of Environment and Shared Mindsets

For those who find themselves at a low point, getting into the right environment, the right company, is critical. There are technological flows – think of augmented reality, robotics, artificial intelligence. There are financial and economic flows – cryptocurrency might be an example for some. Geopolitical flows exist too; the historian Gumilev spoke of "passionarity," where certain regions or nations exhibit great energy and influence, like parts of Southeast Asia and India currently.

Then there are personality flows. Being around individuals who exude dynamic energy and vision – people akin to pioneers like Elon Musk or Steve Jobs, or other visionary leaders – creates a kind of "Gulf Stream" where those within it can develop much faster.

Specialized social environments also matter. Society often develops in layers. Businesspeople share experiences, participate in masterminds guided by talented coaches and consultants like Michael Dawson. When we enter such flows, we don't just find ourselves in an environment of thinking people; we begin to learn how to think in the way that's effective for that domain. The very structure of thinking, what NLP practitioners call a "thinking strategy," helps one become successful. Thinking like an entrepreneur, or an artist, or a dancer – by communicating with them, we even start to pattern our phrases, our thoughts, on their successful models. This mastery of an effective thinking strategy is incredibly important.

The Phoenix Rises: Strength Forged in Fire

Everyone faces crises, moments when it feels like you've hit rock bottom. I’ve known a remarkable individual for three decades, let's call him Arthur. Life dealt him an incredibly harsh hand. First, a major financial crisis led to the collapse of a significant financial institution he had painstakingly built. Then, a personal tragedy confined him to a wheelchair. Many thought he wouldn't recover. While he battled his physical challenges, searching for inner strength and a new path, his assets were stripped away. He returned to his ventures with practically nothing.

Yet, the willpower of this amazing man, his professionalism, his sheer thirst for life, and his ability to start from scratch allowed him to rebuild his fortunes and create incredibly strong businesses once more. His energy, zest for life, desire to help and innovate, and the depth of his engagement in every project are truly admirable. He went through unimaginable trials and emerged even stronger. I am confident he will overcome his physical limitations too, as medical science advances so rapidly. He is simply awaiting the right moment, without undue risk.

To Arthur, I wish continued energy for that future. And to every one of you, in any life situation, I wish for you to preserve your core self, to believe in your capabilities, never to give up, and always to seek out your flow, your supportive environment. Believe in your strength and keep moving forward. Remember, even the situation that seems utterly hopeless is often not the end, but the beginning of a new, untrodden path.

References

• Csikszentmihalyi, M. (1990). Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Harper & Row.

  This foundational work explores the concept of "flow," a state of complete absorption in an activity. It aligns with the article's discussion on finding and leveraging supportive currents in life and work (e.g., "When we get into such flows, we don't just get into an environment of thinking people... to your speed... is added the speed of the flow"). The book details the conditions that foster flow and its benefits for personal growth and satisfaction.

• Frankl, V. E. (1959). Man's Search for Meaning. Beacon Press.

  Frankl's experiences in concentration camps led him to develop logotherapy, which emphasizes the human drive for meaning. This resonates with the article's themes of finding new goals after hitting "rock bottom" and the idea that crisis can be a catalyst for discovering a deeper purpose ("Crisis sometimes gives you the opportunity to find new landmarks... it is very important to preserve three freedoms"). Part One of the book, "Experiences in a Concentration Camp," vividly illustrates resilience in the face of extreme adversity.

• Bandura, A. (1997). Self-Efficacy: The Exercise of Control. W. H. Freeman.

  While a more academic text, Bandura's work on self-efficacy is highly relevant to the article's emphasis on believing in oneself and the ability to overcome challenges ("believe in your strength, and move forward"). The book explains how belief in one's capabilities (self-efficacy) influences choices, effort, persistence, and emotional reactions when facing difficulties, which is central to navigating crises and striving for personal summits. Pages like those in Chapter 1 ("The Nature and Structure of Self-Efficacy") discuss the origins and impact of these beliefs.