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I recently returned from a trip to Nepal where I realized a long term dream. I trekked with my wife Karalee and a group of friends through the Himalayan Mountains to the Annapurna Sanctuary where we got to get up before dawn to hike up to Annapurna Base Camp and view the early rising sun paint Annapurna, the tenth tallest mountain in the world, with light. While any fit person can do this trek, it created some personal challenges for me that are among the greatest I’ve ever overcome.

Here is what I learned from overcoming these challenges.

Have a Dream: This trip started because Karalee and I have a good friend who has led dozens of treks in Nepal. We had heard of the beauty and challenges of these treks and decided that we wanted to trek in the tallest mountains in the world.

One Step at a Time: A big goal can seem overwhelming. You can overcome this by focusing on the next step. If you can make one more step, you can get closer to your goal.

Lead from Within: I got sick, from drinking a cup of tea, and could not eat any food for two days. Dehydrated and low on energy, I had to trek to stay with our group. Rather than focus on the next step, I focused on the next ten, all that I could do without stopping. I amazed myself when after climbing over 1,000 steps, ten at a time, I arrived in camp only a half hour after the rest of our fit group.

Set an Example: I have shared these personal challenges from trekking in Annapurna with employees, colleagues, and friends. It is important that they see that when I ask them to overcome a challenge that they know that I am both willing and capable of overcoming challenges myself. This adventure challenged me to find my boundaries and go past them.

How do you challenge yourself to the next level?