I heard the recent report of a Nepali team reaching the summit of K2, the world’s second highest peak, during winter. A magnificent achievement of incredible difficulty!

But, of course, the lurking question is: Why bother?

“Because it’s there”

— George Mallory, 1924, on summiting Everest

Not everything can be measured in quantifiable terms.

I’ve heard experts propose that you should measure everything in your life in dollars. That meeting you had? It just cost $150, but has a potential to return $1000. Good choice. But eating breakfast this morning cost you money and time, yet there was no monetary return at all.

So why do you bother spending a third of your life sleeping? The biggest waste of all, right?

Because life stinks when you’re not getting enough sleep or eating the right things. Or taking weekends off, in my opinion.

This mentality is a way to grind your life into the ground. And all the people around you as well, especially those who work for you.

Life is not meant to be a transaction of dollar signs.

So how do you judge if you’re making the right tradeoffs when you DON’T translate things to time or money? It comes down to your values and principles. What humanity has been doing forever.

Quality of life.

Making a contribution to the planet that you think is worthy.

Fulfilling a purpose that’s larger than you.

Experiencing the joy and richness of life.