Breaking Down the Mountain: Lessons from the Bunny Hill

Growing up with hardworking immigrant parents, I learned the value of persistence and grit early on. We always had food on the table and a roof over our heads — but there wasn’t much left over for extras. One of those "extras" was skiing.

So, when I married my husband and found out he was an avid skier, I was excited — and a little nervous — to give it a try. He offered to teach me, and we started where most beginners do: the bunny hill. After learning the basics like snowplows and balance, I felt confident enough to try something a little more advanced.

Off we went on the ski lift. But when we reached the top of the next hill, I froze. To me, it looked like Mount Everest. I felt overwhelmed and even teary-eyed. (Yes, it sounds dramatic — but the fear was real!)

“Wolfy,” I whispered, “How am I supposed to ski down this? I can’t do it. I’m paralyzed.”

I looked around and saw little kids fearlessly flying past me down the hill like it was nothing.

Then Wolfy calmly pointed to a small tree nearby and said, “See that little tree, Angela? All we’re going to do is ski to that tree. Can you do that?”

“Yes, I think I can.”

So we skied to the tree.

“Great,” he said. “Now see that bush over there? Let’s ski to that next.”

And bit by bit — bush by bush, tree by tree — I made it down the hill.

Those same fearless kids had probably gone up and down four times before I made it to the bottom, but I got there. And I’ll never forget how my husband’s calm presence and simple instructions helped me overcome what felt like an impossible challenge.

That experience taught me something I’ve carried into every area of my life: 

The way to tackle something big is to break it into something small.

• We’ve all heard the clichés:

  • “One step at a time.”

  • “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”

  • “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.”

  • “Great things are accomplished one step at a time.”
  • “Every marathon begins with a single stride.”
  • “Big tasks are tackled in small increments.”
  • “You conquer mountains one step at a time.”
  • “Large goals are achieved by taking small actions.”
  • “A forest starts with a single seed.”

But clichés only become powerful when they become personal. That day on the mountain, the truth of those sayings became real.

Now, whenever I face something overwhelming — whether personal or professional — I remind myself to break it down:

• Got taxes to do? Just start by gathering your receipts.

• Behind on client follow-ups? Make one call.

• Garage a disaster? Clean just one corner.

That small step creates momentum. And momentum leads to progress. Before you know it — you're at the bottom of the hill, looking back with a smile.

If you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure how to move forward in your business or life, I’d love to help. Head over to my contact page, and let’s book a time to chat.

Let’s take the first step together.

To your success,
Angela