Life's Greatest Adventures: From the Swiss Alps to Tasmania's Rugged Shores

A few years ago, my dad and I embarked on a trek through the Swiss Alps, basing ourselves in Zermatt and Interlaken. The landscapes were extraordinary: vivid turquoise lakes, towering snow-capped mountains, and alpine meadows alive with grazing cows, their bells echoing softly across the valleys. Yet the experience that hit me most deeply occurred on our final ascent to the Matterhorn viewing platform at almost 4000 metres. As I was struggling to breathe at this height, a profound realisation struck: this delicate layer of atmosphere is all that sustains us. In that moment, the fragility of our existence, and our extraordinary good fortune to inhabit it, felt palpably real.

Fast forward to recent months: catching up with two former colleagues who had completed the Three Capes Track in Tasmania. Their accounts and images, of dramatic sea cliffs, pristine empty beaches, towering eucalypt forests, and coastal heathlands, were captivating. The conversation naturally turned to my Alps journey with Dad, and before long, flights were booked for another adventure: my father, brother, and I heading to Tasmania.

Coming back to work after trips like that is always a shock to the system, but I’ve realised the best professional lessons I’ve ever learned came from the trail:

Safeguard the atmosphere

At altitude, the thinness of the air becomes strikingly apparent. Similarly, in high-stakes projects, team culture and trust form a fragile yet indispensable foundation. Protect them rigorously, because, in a very real sense, outcomes depend on them.

Progress is incremental

Mountains are conquered not through singular heroic leaps, but through persistent, deliberate steps, even when fatigue sets in. The same principle applies to complex programs: steady, disciplined advancement consistently outperforms waiting for breakthrough moments. In enterprise-scale transformations, the real value lies in consistent delivery that integrates these leaps thoughtfully.

Elevate perspective

From high vantage points, patterns emerge with striking clarity: where you stand, the path ahead, and the destination. In the intensity of day-to-day activities, we rarely achieve such vantage. Carving out time to step back, reassess alignment, and recalibrate direction is invaluable.

My sincere thanks to those former colleagues for the timely inspiration – they reminded me that life extends far beyond deliverables and deadlines. Wishing everyone the clarity, gratitude, and renewal that come from your next great adventure, whether on the trail or through the next major milestone.