Moving Base Camp: The Art of Deliberate Elevation

“We come into life formed and perfect, a whole – we learn and we hope, we connect and we yearn to be a part of something bigger than us…” – from “alice explains individuation,” a poem from “The Inner Fire: a coaching alchemy”

The Mountaineer’s Wisdom

When I first encountered Michael Bungay Stanier’s concept of “Moving Base Camp,” it resonated deeply with my work on transformation and personal alchemy. Like Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay establishing progressive camps on their Everest ascent, our journey toward self-actualisation requires similar patience and strategic elevation.

This isn’t merely about climbing higher—it’s about transformation at each plateau. As I explored in “The Inner Fire,” true change happens when we allow ourselves to dwell in liminal spaces, those threshold moments between different states of being.

Recognising Your Current Encampment

Your present base camp isn’t merely a physical or professional position—it’s a state of consciousness, a particular vantage point from which you view yourself and the world. It encompasses your current beliefs, habits, relationships, and perspectives.

The question isn’t whether this place is “good” or “bad,” but rather: Is this particular vantage point still serving your deeper purpose? Or has it become a comfortable plateau where growth has stalled?

The Subtle Signs of Stagnation

The call to move your base camp often comes not as a shout but as a whisper:

• A persistent sense of restlessness despite outward success
• Dreams that visit you repeatedly, hinting at unexplored terrain
• A growing awareness of scripts and patterns that once served but now constrain
• The quiet voice of your inner wisdom suggesting there’s more to discover

As Blue (another archetypal character described in The Inner Fire) might grumble: “Getting too comfortable is just another way of getting stuck. The view might be nice, but it’s still the same damn view every morning.”

The Alchemy of Elevation

Moving your base camp is an alchemical process. It requires:

1. Honest Inventory: What elements of your current position truly nourish you, and what merely feels safe?
2. Deliberate Discomfort: As I’ve found in my own journey from NHS leadership to becoming a Chief Explorer, meaningful elevation requires stepping into uncertainty.
3. New Perspectives: Each new base camp offers not just a higher view, but a different one altogether—revealing aspects of the landscape previously hidden.
4. Integration Time: Allow yourself to fully inhabit each new elevation before pushing higher. True transformation isn’t rushed.

A Personal Crossing

When I left my established career in the NHS to pursue my work as a coach and author, I wasn’t simply changing jobs—I was moving base camp. The terrain was unfamiliar, the air thinner, the challenges different. Yet this elevation allowed me to see connections and possibilities invisible from my previous vantage point.

The ACTivist framework I developed during my PhD studies became more vital than ever—allowing different archetypal perspectives to guide me through this new territory. Sometimes it was the Chief Explorer leading the way, sometimes Alice offering intuitive wisdom, and occasionally Blue’s skepticism keeping me grounded.

Your Next Ascent

Where might your next base camp be located? Consider:

• What perspective would offer you a fresh view of your current challenges?
• Which of your values feels most constrained at your current elevation?
• What small experiment might serve as a reconnaissance mission to your next potential camp?

Remember that moving base camp isn’t about abandoning what you’ve built, but rather establishing a new vantage point from which your previous accomplishments can be seen in a larger context.

The Deeper Purpose

As we explore in “Precious Jewels: Small Experiments for Personal Growth” these elevations aren’t merely about achievement—they’re about becoming more fully ourselves. Each new base camp brings us closer to what Jung called individuation—the integration of our fragmented selves into a coherent whole.

I’d love to hear about your own base camp journeys. Where are you currently encamped? What calls you to higher ground? What small experiment might help you scout the path ahead?

If this exploration of Moving Base Camp resonates with you, you’ll find more approaches to personal transformation in my new book “Precious Jewels: A Small Book About Small Experiments,” available now in paperback and eBook formats from this website or on Amazon worldwide.