Every summer on the second week of July my wife and the majority of her family take an annual trip to Daytona Beach. They have been visiting the same condominium and section of the beach for the past twenty years. I joined them once…only once. What I failed to mention earlier on is that only the women attend this week long event I affectionately refer to the week as the “Steel Magnolias” week. Since we have moved to Florida I have made it a habit to join the ladies on the last night of the trip. By then my two small boys are ready to be ruffed housed and have a little male bonding. This past summer my family took a quick excursion to Ponce Inlet which is about 10 miles south of Daytona Beach with the goal of visiting the lighthouse. The entire site has been magnificently restored and has been turned into a wonderful destination. Of course the main attraction remains the 175-foot-tall lighthouse tower and beautiful lens…which became the challenge of the day.

As fearless as both of my boys tend to be, this pillar reaching well into the clouds proved to be a bit more daunting than ever expected. We began as we entered the property preparing them for the trip up the lighthouse. We knew that it could easily unnerve them and take away an incredible opportunity for them to see more than they ever imagined. We didn’t want them to miss the view. As we toured the entire facility we continued to build up the upcoming adventure up the ancient stairs and what would be awaiting us at the top. Needless to say, they were neither impressed nor excited. They tried every stall tactic available to a four and six year old. But eventually they came face to face with the opportunity at hand. Climb the stairs and take in the view or remain on the ground and miss the chance to see something bigger.

I have to say I was proud when without much coaxing, the boys began the arduous climb up the tower. We tried to make the trip up as fun as possible. The sign at the bottom of the tower said the average trip up takes around fifteen minutes. So we began counting every step up the rungs. Like most kids, my two are polar opposites. One plows ahead and never looks back while the other moves ahead cautiously. The trip up was no different. My cautious one would climb a set or two of stairs and then take a look back and down. I could read his thoughts easily. “Am I safe?” Do I want to go back down?” How much farther should I go before I look back?”

At each of these moments along the journey I gave him an out. I asked him if he wanted to go back down and reassured him that it would be OK, but that I really didn’t want him to miss the view. Each time he shook his head and continued up the steps. The higher we climbed, the more deliberate the steps. To be honest, I even began to worry as the elevation became steeper and the steps became thinner. But after approximately fifteen minutes, we reached the top or so we thought.

Once we reached the landing, we had to climb a short ladder to go out on the balcony that hung 175 feet in the air. Those last steps were the hardest. I almost lost my cautious child there. He looked at me…back down the step he had ascended…at the ladder leading out…back to me…then back at the ladder. At this point of the journey I was not about to let him quit. He had worked so hard to reach the top. A view he would never forget was a few feet away. I was not going to let him miss out on something he would regret. Not to mention his little, fearless brother was yelling for him to hurry up. I asked him if he was ready and he shook his head cautiously. I asked him if he was scared and he shook it emphatically. By this point, he had become speechless. We then took the final four steps out onto the balcony.

It was truly breath taking! The 175-foot-tall lighthouse tower provided a magnificent view of the Florida coastline and Halifax River from Daytona Beach to New Smyrna Beach. It was amazing. Had I known I would have less than thirty seconds to take it all in I would have toured the entire balcony. But a few seconds after we landed on top of the edifice, my cautious six year old pulled the only excuse that would pull me from the top of the lighthouse…I have to use the bathroom…and bad!

As we began our descent, I couldn’t help but appreciate my fearless four year old running around the top of the lighthouse pointing at and calling out all the things he saw out in the distance and down below. I wasn’t disappointed. I would have liked to take in more of the view myself, but I was proud he put in the effort to climb the stairs even if he only was able to take a quick peek at the view.

How many of us find ourselves at one of three points along the journey up the lighthouse? Never attempting to climb up and appreciate the view…climbing up and never taking in the view… or climbing up and seeing more than you ever imagined? As leaders, we don’t have a choice but to climb the steps and take in the view. That is what we have been called to do. Very few charge ahead in the face of every obstacle. Most of the time, we take a cautious, or deliberate steps toward the pinnacle. The next time you are about to embark on journey in which the outcome is unknown, remember these four simple principals and hopefully you view will be remarkable.

PLAN. Having courage doesn’t mean blindly running into danger. Do your research. Ask questions. Develop a contingency. Then move ahead with confidence. Don’t neglect this step…but don’t plan too long. You could miss out on the view.

PEOPLE. Never go on a journey alone. As a leader it is your responsibility to take others along. It’s your assignment to help them fulfill their dreams as they assist you with yours. Along the way you may need encouragement, help or even to pass off the lead role. You cannot accomplish this alone. The journey is not worth it if you can experience it with someone else.

COURAGE. When you face adversity, you peel back your outer layers and see yourself for who you truly are. Courage is the intersection between fear and opportunity and danger and action. Somewhere along the way courage will be necessary. It may be right at the beginning as your scoffers’ line up to ridicule your plan. It may be when you stumble during the journey. Or it may be a few steps from the finish line. Wherever it arrives, and I assure you it will arrive, you must be ready to dig down inside and hold tight to the vision and values that took you on the journey in the first place.

SAVOR. I know it sounds like a cliché, but you have to do it. Enjoy the victory. Take in the view. Savor the moment. You earned it! Depending on the size of the task, you may have spent days, months, years or even decades climbing to the top. Not taking a few moments to look down to see where you come from, see where you are and where you could go is a waste. But remember not to celebrate alone. Your trip to the top wasn’t accomplished alone. Celebrate with everyone who assisted or joined you on the assent.

Leadership is hard work. It isn’t a short term project or a resolution. It is a life long commitment to getting the most out of yourself and those around you. That requires discipline and diligence. But as with any journey…it’s one step at a time.

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