Behavior Matters: Finding Our Everest & Financial Life Planning
"Circumstance is what is happening to you; choice is how you deal with it. Choose Wisely."
Coach Chris Hauth, 29029 Mind Coach and former US Olympic Swimmer
As I reflect on my experience at Snowbasin with my oldest son, Isaac, last month, I find myself grappling with how to capture the essence of our shared journey. Like trying to photograph a magnificent sunset, words can only frame a portion of the experience. Nonetheless, I feel compelled to share some insights that I think may resonate as we each encounter challenges along our life's journey.
The Seeds of Our Journey
The roots of our hiking partnership trace back to Isaac's earliest days, those precious yet challenging moments of new parenthood. I can still vividly remember those midnight wanderings through our neighborhood, Isaac swaddled against my chest, both of us finding peace in the quiet darkness. Those first six months, when colic kept him awake and restless, our nocturnal adventures became our special bond. When nothing else would soothe him, the gentle rhythm of walking and the cool night air worked their magic.
As the years passed, our walks evolved. Isaac's perspective shifted from that of a front carrier to a backpack vantage point, his tiny hands on my shoulders and head as our horizons expanded together, with two sets of brown eyes. Together, we traced paths through city streets and mountain trails, each step strengthening not just our legs but our connection as father and son.
During the pandemic, when I learned of 29029, www.29029everesting.com, the idea of participating struck a deep chord. Something about the raw challenge merged with the symbolism of climbing our personal Everest captured my imagination. However, it wasn't until this year that the stars aligned, bringing us to Snowbasin 2025, situated just outside Ogden, Utah, northeast of Salt Lake City. For two hikers who found their beginning in those midnight walks, this endurance event felt like coming full circle.
Looking back on our path from those sleepless nights to this monumental challenge, I'm moved by life's elegant symmetry: necessity became a ritual, the ritual evolved into passion, and passion ultimately guided us toward choosing this extraordinary adventure together. I believe there is profound beauty in consciously selecting our challenges and designing a life that is rich in purpose and meaning.
Preparation: When Life Has Other Plans
Standing atop Snowbasin's peak at sunrise during our challenge, I found myself marveling at the event's evolution – this was the 29th challenge since 2017, now spanning mountain resorts across North America. The 29029 team's comprehensive approach to preparation speaks to something I've long believed about life-changing challenges: they require nurturing of both body and mind. Their 20-week preparation program, with its blend of physical training, mental conditioning, and breathwork, mirrors the holistic approach we take with financial life planning here at Mirus.
Life, however, has a way of testing our resolve. Mid-February delivered its lesson in adaptability when my right knee gave way on a routine morning walk with my dogs. In that split second, as my faithful companions pursued a squirrel, my carefully laid plans of training took an unexpected detour. The timing couldn't have been more challenging, with Snowbasin looming on the horizon, and I wanted to prepare to be at my best. What followed was a journey familiar to many of us: the dance between hope and reality, as physical therapy gave way to an MRI, which ultimately led to meniscus surgery on June 5th - a mere 8 weeks before our mountain challenge.
I needed to test my knee for my overall well-being and mental state. On the Saturday before the event, I hiked a familiar trail to Poo Poo Point on Tiger Mountain. Each step upward carried a dual purpose - validating my knee's recovery while confronting the uncertainty of what lay ahead. Every successful stride brought both relief and instilled some confidence that I might just be good to go; I didn’t experience pain or swelling from this 6-mile hike! Yet, I still wondered: could this recently repaired knee endure 29.9 miles of relentless ascent ahead?
Meanwhile, Isaac's summer internship in Colorado offered its form of preparation - the gift of altitude acclimation and the boundless energy of his 20 years. Though his demanding schedule didn't allow him to follow the recommended training protocol, perhaps youth would be our ace in the hole. Were we the most prepared participants? Far from it. The most experienced? Not by a long shot. As a father, my most profound concern wasn't about personal discomfort or potential failure - it was about the possibility of disappointing my son (letting Isaac down) if my knee failed to keep up with our ambitions.
At the base of Snowbasin, the parallels between this physical challenge and the principles of financial life planning crystallized with striking clarity. Just as we tell our clients that perfect market timing isn't necessary for long-term success, we have also come to accept our imperfect preparation as part of our life's journey. Whether it's investing or hiking up mountains, life rarely unfolds exactly as planned. What matters most is our ability to adapt, persist, and maintain perspective when circumstances shift beneath our feet. (pun intended)
The Journey Begins: SLC, Ogden & Snowbasin
Like every meaningful journey in life, ours began with careful planning—a strategy session over steaming coffee and a large breakfast at the Early Owl in Salt Lake City. Just as we help clients break down seemingly insurmountable financial goals into manageable steps, Isaac and I mapped out our approach for the upcoming 36-hour test. Our challenge: 13 ascents totaling 29,029 feet (the height of Everest) across 29.9 miles of steep terrain. The numbers were daunting, much like retirement savings goals can initially appear.
Much like crafting financial projections for clients, I created detailed spreadsheets that mapped our journey with various assumptions and differing targeted outcomes. Yet, as I often remind those we guide through their financial lives, these models serve as a compass rather than a crystal ball. Whether planning for retirement or plotting mountain ascents, the key is creating a framework that is both flexible enough to adapt and robust enough to keep us oriented toward our goals. It's about progress over perfection—a mantra that serves us well in both financial planning and life's challenges.
In wealth management and financial life planning, we often talk about building safety margins - those crucial buffers that help weather life's storms. On the mountain, we intended to maintain a 10-hour time buffer that served the same purpose. Like our portfolio strategies (Mirus buckets of green, yellow, and red assets), this time cushion would protect us against a multitude of risks: blisters forming in the heat, muscles seizing in the cold, unexpected weather changes, or simply the human need for rest and recovery. Extra time was our insurance policy against the unknown and protecting us from vital issues becoming unnecessarily urgent.
By noon, we had conquered three ascents - 9.6 miles of vertical progress that echoed those rewarding early phases of a well-designed financial journey. Like watching a retirement portfolio grow steadily in favorable markets, we were building momentum. However, just as markets can shift unexpectedly, the afternoon brought its own set of challenges. The sun bore down with unexpected intensity, and our pace slowed as we struggled against the heat and dust. By 5 PM, with only two additional ascents completed, I was reminded of a fundamental truth we share with clients: success isn't about maintaining a constant pace - it's about adapting your strategy when conditions change.
Our dinner break became our next strategy session, much like the client reviews we hold when market conditions fluctuate or when life changes and adjustments are required. We attended to immediate needs (changing socks, treating blisters) while recalibrating our approach for the night ahead. These moments of pause and reflection are crucial, whether you're halfway up a hill or navigating volatile markets and cash flow. They're opportunities to assess, adapt, and recommit to your ultimate goals.
As darkness fell over Snowbasin, the parallels between this moment and those times when we help clients navigate such periods of uncertainty became clear, whether facing market downturns, life transitions, or moments of doubt. Just as our decision to press on through the night with headlamps and careful steps required embracing uncertainty with thoughtful preparation. Our goal of five more ascents before sunrise felt as ambitious as an aggressive early retirement target - challenging but not impossible with the right approach and support system.
In these moments of decision, I was reminded of conversations with clients facing their crossroads—whether to delay retirement, make a career change, or stay the course through market volatility. Just as our decision to push through the night helped prevent greater challenges later, the harder path taken early on can also lead to greater rewards. And here was an unexpected blessing: my surgically repaired knee, which had caused so much pre-event anxiety, was holding steady. Sometimes our most significant perceived risks aren't the ones that ultimately test us—a lesson that rings true in both for this endurance event and long-term financial life planning.
Nighttime Hikes: Finding Clarity in Darkness
The quiet hours after midnight brought a different kind of clarity. By 1:30 AM, with eight ascents behind us, we faced another crucial decision point—one that underscores the importance of rest and recovery in any long-term endeavor. Just as we advise clients against burning out in pursuit of financial goals, we recognized the wisdom of a strategic pause. Those precious 20-30 minutes in our tent (lying on our beds fully clothed) became our reset button—a reminder that sometimes the best way forward is to be still first.
Emerging from our brief rest, we carried with us the psychological advantage of being past the halfway point, much like reaching key financial milestones in a long-term plan. At 6:30 AM, we stood atop Snowbasin celebrating our tenth ascent. The parallel to financial planning struck me again. Just as a retirement portfolio that has weathered market cycles and grown stronger, we were able to rebuild our safety margin overnight. We had only three more ascents to go, with eleven hours to accomplish them; we had transformed time from an adversary to an ally.
Saturday, August 2nd: The Final Push
Like the final years before a well-planned retirement, our remaining ascents demanded both celebration of progress and careful attention to detail. Each gondola ride down offered moments of reflection about our journey, our partnership, and the power of incremental progress. Just as we guide clients to adjust their investment strategies as they are near their goals, we adjusted our approach for these final climbs. Our urgency at the beginning of the night had transformed into something more profound: the quiet confidence that comes from knowing you're on track yet remaining vigilant.
Our physical fatigue mirrored the emotional weight many clients feel as they approach major life transitions - that mixture of exhaustion and excitement, uncertainty and anticipation. As we began our final ascent at 1:30 PM, the afternoon heat seemed less an adversary and more a witness to our journey. Each step carried the weight of our shared experience, much like each financial decision along a client's journey contributes to their ultimate success. In those moments, speaking with volunteers and fellow climbers, I was struck by how the mountain, like financial markets, had become our teacher rather than our opponent.
At 3:27 PM, standing alongside Isaac at our final summit, we shared something beyond the physical achievement of 13 ascents, 29.9 miles, and 29,029 feet of elevation gain. Like watching a client reach a long-pursued financial goal, this moment transcended the numbers. The 33 hours and 27 minutes weren't just a measure of time; they were a testament to the power of partnership, preparation, and perseverance in the face of uncertainty. I figure we spent at least 26-28 hours on our feet, especially following my knee surgery, reinforced a truth we share with clients: it's not about having perfect conditions, but about adapting to and working with whatever situations we face.
Life's Lessons: The Mountain as Teacher
Throughout my decades of financial life planning, I've observed that life, like markets, rarely moves in a straight line. Each client's journey is unique, marked by peaks and valleys, unexpected twists and turns, and moments that test preparation and resolve. The mountain reminded me that our role as financial guides isn't just about charting the course - it's about helping clients develop their mindset and confidence to navigate whatever terrain lies ahead.
This journey with Isaac transcended physical achievement - it became a testament to our family's resilience. As we climbed, our thoughts often turned to Stephanie, Isaac's mom and my wife of almost 31 years, whose breast cancer challenge and double mastectomy in 2023 were met by her with extraordinary grace and courage. Her journey taught us what I often share with clients: our most significant challenges, faced with determination and proper support, usually reveal strengths we didn't know we possessed. We are so proud of her!
Looking Forward: The Long Game
As I integrate this experience into our financial planning practice, certain truths stand clearer than ever. Success—whether on a mountain or in managing wealth—demands focus, diligence, and flexibility, all balanced together. It requires attention to fundamentals: preparation, mindset, measured progress, and regular maintenance. Above all, it reminds me that life's most meaningful achievements, such as reaching any summit, aren't about the destination alone, but about who we become along the way.
In both climbing a mountain and financial life planning, we should be playing the long game. Each step, each decision, and each moment of perseverance contributes to a larger story—one of growth, resilience, and the profound satisfaction that comes from meeting challenges with courage and wisdom.
Behavior Matters!
