Quitting is easy. It’s less effort and less hard work. The problem is My father doesn’t know the meaning of the word quit, every time I go to him with a challenge or a problem- he says “Let’s Surmount the Mountain.”

When I was just 14 years young, My English Teacher called me after class one day and said “Dinal, I am enrolling you for a national speech contest. Do the school proud.”

I didn’t want to take part in a speech contest. How could she enroll me against my will?” I was going to speak up against this grave injustice. “Sure Miss” I replied. Schools are dictatorships-not democracies.

I went home, distraught. I was not a Toastmaster at 14.  I had no access to competent communicator manuals.  How would I write a speech? I was a nervous wreck. I called the emergency hotline. “Dad, I am supposed to take part in a national speech contest. I cant do it. I won’t do it Please come to school tomorrow and tell my teacher it’s a bad idea.” My Dad said “Don’t worry, Lets Surmount the Mountain.”

My first speech was plagiarized. My Dad wrote every word. I nervously delivered it in Round 1 of the contest like a lamb being taken for slaughter. Miraculously, I qualified. In round 2, a funny phenomenon named confidence started taking over and I qualified again. In the grand finale, I delivered my speech better than Shakespeare. I won- a national champion at 14, even though my speech was plagiarized. With the trophy in hand, while being congratulated by so many people, I went to my Dad who was standing proudly and said “Dad, I guess we surmounted the Mountain.”

Edwand Burke, a famour Irish philosopher and statesman once said “Example is the school of mankind and they will learn at no other.” My Mom, who is not as famous as Edward Burke,  says “I am a chip of the old block.” I started following my Dad’s motto. I began to attack the problems and challenges in front of me-examinations, speech contests and school bullies. I would surmount the mountain.

When I was 18 my right eye was infected with a plant fungus. They did a surgical procedure on me named a cornea graft. A year later, at a party, a close friend’s finger accidently went into my operated eye and like that Michael Jackson Hit Single, there was literally blood on the dance floor. Since then I have had 13 surgeries- a grand total of 14. Right through, my Dad’s life motto which was now my life motto helped me through. At every negative doctor’s prognosis and faced with imminent surgery all I told myself is “I will Surmount the Mountain.” I remember during one surgery in India, I had to do an eye surgery under local anesthesia. Let me translate that into simple English- I had to  be awake during the surgery while the doctor operated on my right eye. I could see everything. I was told I could not shake my head during the procedure by a doctor who reminded me of Darth Vader . It was the longest 90 minutes of my life. I kept reciting the first stanza of my favourite poem Invictus so I wouldn’t shake my head.

“Out of the night that covers me

Black as the pit from pole to pole

I thank whatever Gods may be

For my unconquerable soul

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced not cried aloud

Under the bludgeoning of what men call chance

My head is bloody but unbowed”

I recited this in my mind silently for over 90 minutes. I surmounted the mountain.

Today, I have surmounted many mountains. I finished my studies in between surgeries. I worked at 2 top Sri Lankan corporates for 9 years and last year I launched my own start up company. Can you guess what I named it? Surmount Ventures. I even put a mountain in the logo.

Everyone of us have many mountains in our lives. Don’t worry about the number of mountains or the height of mountains in front of you. When faced with a challenge or problem just say “Let’s Surmount the Mountain”.

So let’s all go on to be mountain climbers 🙂