The Mountain Is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage Into Self-Mastery

“Much like nature, life is very often working in our favor, even when it seems like we are only being faced with adversity, discomfort, and change.”

The simile that life is “much like nature” compares our existence to that of a force that has its own kind of wisdom and balance. This suggests that hardships could be necessary steps for growth or balance, just as forest fires lead to new growth. Moreover, the passage argues that facing “adversity, discomfort, and change” and life “working in our favor” are not opposites. This creates a nuanced view of what favorable conditions are; working in one’s “favor” doesn't necessarily mean a life free of difficulties.

“Your mountain requires you to reconcile two parts of you: the conscious and the unconscious, the part of you that is aware of what you want and the part of you that is not aware of why you are still holding yourself back.”

The passage relies on antithesis to highlight the internal dichotomies that create conflict: Wiest juxtaposes “the conscious and the unconscious,” as well as “the part of you that is aware of what you want and the part of you that is not aware of why you are still holding yourself back.” The parallel structure used for these opposing entities—conscious/unconscious and aware/not aware—balances the sentence, reflecting the balance that needs to be achieved within oneself. The “mountain” metaphor elevates personal challenges or obstacles into something grand and enduring. Mountains are traditionally considered daunting yet majestic, something to be conquered or climbed.