Through the greatest of sacrifices we open the gates of possibility – witness a version of ourselves greater than we are now – and begin to embody the true essence of our spirit.

We become who we are meant to be.

And for the first time in our lives, the images of who we thought we were begin to shatter and disappear back into the ether.

For thousands of days, I have sat down at my desk to transcribe the whispers of my soul.

When I found the courage, I would write about the great tragedies and victories of my life, express my dreams and try my best to come to an understanding of how lost I felt at times.

What came out was pure, honest and as authentic as I could possibly be. Even though my fears arrive and try to stop the ink from flowing, there’s always something within encouraging me to go on and move forward.

All these years later, I’ve landed here.

And where is that?

Climbing a mountain that seems to be made of brittle shale that constantly shifts underneath my feet. It is one of the most encouraging and yet unbelievably frustrating times of my life.

Constantly failing. Relentlessly recommitting. Getting so close to stepping through the gates my visions continue to show me and then falling all the way back down the mountain.

I would be lying to you if I didn’t tell you how challenging this process has been. And yet, every single time I fall, the flames within my gut begin to burn with greater intensity.

There’s a fury within.

"Whatever is coming up in your life right now is not here to stay. It will pass. But you have to let it. Sometimes, that takes getting out of your own way and accepting that things are the way that they are. You can’t change what happens to you. But you can choose what happens next." Evan Sanders, The Better Man Project quote

One that’s fueled by being able to see what’s just on the other side of my flawed humanity.

And all that said, here’s what I know so far…

The only way out is through. 

You have to find that resilience within your soul to harness your will and demand a way up the mountain. You have to believe that you belong there. You have to know it within your bones. But most importantly, you have to commit to the process – no matter how long it takes – because this is your mountain to climb and living a life of regret is simply not an option.

Let the passionate fires rage within. Let them guide you back upon your feet 100…1,000…10,000….times if this journey demands it from you.

Every time you are sharpening your resolve, finding new ways of making it through to what’s eluded you for so long, and building character in ways you couldn’t by taking the easier route.

It’s as Robert Frost said, “The only way out is through.”

I will figure this out.

Whatever it takes.

However long it takes.

Because at the end of the day, it’s worth it. This is what I’m here for. This is my journey – my mountain to climb – and exactly what I’m supposed to be doing with my life right now.

When I finally make my way up the hillside – bumps, scrapes, cuts and all – and lookout upon the heavens I will know exactly how much it took to get there.

I’ll know what it means to me.

I’ll know who I had to become.

And in that moment, I’ll smile, and be ready to climb whatever comes next.

Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project