Thirty-five minutes into our hike into the Grand Canyon we arrived at the vista.
We were the equivalent of 76 flights of stairs down and my quads, already quaking, would need to take on the harder half of the route – UP – on the way back.
But the kids weren’t complaining nor was my husband and so neither would I. Certainly not considering the scenery in front of us.
The view from this vantage point was indescribable. We stopped to take it in and snap a few photos.
It is, understandably, called “Ooh Aah Point” because it’s the moment when we – and all other hiking tourists that day – stop to say just that.
Ooh Aah, look at that!
Beautiful.
Amazing.
Unbelievable.
Suddenly, little problems didn’t seem so big.
The air was clear, the view stretched for miles, and my mind, so often racing, settled into this marvelous place. If I could have grabbed it and taken that feeling home with me, I would have.
Because everyone needs that Ooh Aah moment – those times when you are fully absorbed IN the moment.
The view is clear.
Clarity is yours.
Bottle it up.
That’s great, Val, I hear what you’re saying, but I’m not going to be at the Grand Canyon anytime soon…
So I’m here to tell you, you don’t have to go to the Grand Canyon to find your Ooh Aah moment.
You only need to be on the lookout.
Think about the last time you felt truly present when time stood still and you stopped to admire the “view.” I put that word in quotations because the view isn’t necessarily a beautiful vista. It can just be that moment when everything clicks.
Ooh Aah. You’re there.
Where were you? On vacation? Playing with your kids? Nailing a presentation? Laughing with a friend? Watching a powerful movie?
If you’re like me, your thoughts right before these moments were probably littered with clutter, like all of those other things you need to be doing or what happened previously or what’s next or your grocery list, or why your pants are so tight again.
But if you can crystalize that Ooh Aah moment and stop to consider it, you might find what makes you tick.
It’s often hard to proceed when you can’t see what’s ahead. We spent so much time rushing around, we don’t often notice mistakes until we make them. This is why we always need to be on the lookout for those moments of clarity.
When Do You Feel Most “In The Moment”?
Long before that Grand Canyon trip, I had an Ooh Aah moment at work that made me say just that.
I was approached by a young woman in our group who had received a job offer from a competitor, one she wanted to take as it would grow her career and locate her closer to her family on the West coast. What should she do?
Little did I know then the impact this conversation would have on me.
I knew we couldn’t counter the offer she had received and that we’d ultimately lose her to the competitor. But that didn’t stop me from wanting to advocate for her. I suggested she tell the hiring manager she needed the weekend to consider the offer and to note she was waiting on a counteroffer from her current employer. At the same time, I said she should ask for a higher starting salary, say, 20% more.
She was aghast.
“I can’t do that,” she protested. “I don’t want to seem pushy.”
I assured her it was the logical next step in the process and would not be unexpected or out of line. Most guys would ask. What was she afraid of? After we worked through her concerns, she felt better. The worst they can do is say no, I explained.
This was on a Friday. She came back to check in late on Monday. As I anticipated, I had not received permission to provide a similar counteroffer.
No matter, she said, and informed me she was taking the new job — at nearly 10% more than she had originally been offered! She had asked for 10%, not 20%, more, as that felt more comfortable to her, and had quickly gotten an OK for a new starting salary of $65k rather than the $60k they originally offered.
Maybe she would have gotten more if she had asked for 20%. Maybe not. It didn’t matter.
That $5,000 may seem like a small bump, but it would pay dividends over the course of her career. Most importantly, her positive first experience with negotiating for herself would make her more likely to do so in the future.
She was happy. I was too.
THIS, I thought. THIS feels good to me.
Ooh, look at that. Aah, that felt right.
I may never work with her again. She may forget about me entirely. But with a simple suggestion, I had helped her impact her salary and set herself up for higher earnings down the road. It’s now one of my signature courses.
What does this have to do with the Grand Canyon?
It wasn’t until I arrived at Ooh Aah point that I thought about the Ooh Aah moments we have throughout our lives. These are the moments when the vista is clear, your mission reveals itself, and your positive intent feels purposeful.
Be on the lookout for it.
Bottle it up and hold onto it.
I’ve had dozens of those moments since. Each has gotten me closer to the clarity of my purpose and the impact I can both see and sense.
Sometimes the climb out is steep.
Remember the view.
