In a Chinese market I have remarked to my indigenous friends, “what is THAT smell?” Inevitably, I have heard one of two foods mentioned (Stinky tofu or Durian), along with the chorus of, “it smells terrible, but it tastes really good.”  Call me simple, call me uncultured, but I have never been able to overcome this basic tenet of dining: “If my nose says NO, my palate always agrees.”

There is detriment to living life this way: keeping everything uncomfortable at arms’ length.  In the market, perhaps I have missed the succulent enjoyment of a divine flavor.  In life, I may miss out on so much more.  The Chinese have a saying, 不入虎穴，焉得虎子, which means, “If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how will you get the tiger’s cub?” I can’t say I have ever wanted a tiger’s cub, but there is a universal principle that crosses cultural boundaries: pain brings gain, trials endured produce gold, risk can bring great reward.

Life isn’t easy. Life isn’t always comfortable. On the other side of arduous “smells” there truly are great delights.  In my eyes, the truly great people are often the ones who find joy in the journey (albeit often difficult), not just in the destination. I appreciate Stephen Curry’s shooting and ball handling much more, now, because I can somewhat imagine what it took for him to achieve his excellence. I appreciate a picture of a group of climbers on the top of Everest, not because they were placed there, but because I can somewhat imagine what it took in preparation and exertion to get there.

These people weren’t always noteworthy. Stephen Curry shot countless air balls and dribbled off his feet many times. Avid hikers endure blisters and great discomfort. At one time, only Taylor Swift’s family could probably endure her singing.  They endured and found joy in the journey. And, at some point, their joy was even multiplied when they were able to use what they achieved to bring joy to others.

I spend way too much time avoiding discomfort. I spend way too much time trying to order my world in order to “avoid tasting what I don’t like to smell.” How about you? In avoiding pain are you missing out on what you really, deep down, always wanted?  Maybe your greatest joy and the greatest joy you will bring others will not be a path of ease. Maybe your passage way to what you really want is THROUGH a path of discomfort, not AROUND it.

Ascend, the name of this company, is a verb. It means to climb…..to go up. The very nature of the word, Ascend, implies there is resistance. There is a climb one must take to Ascend. The path to Ascend is not the easiest path. It’s rarely comfortable. But, for your sake, and the likely benefit of others, some mountains are worth climbing, even if you get a few blisters along the way.