Martin Luther King Jr. once said:
“If it is for you to be a street sweeper, sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures, like Shakespeare has written poetry, like Beethoven has composed music; sweep streets so well that all the host of Heaven and Earth will have to pause and say, ‘Here lived a great street sweeper, who swept his job well.’”
Last summer during a trek of Everest Base Camp, I saw this philosophy at work—not by the streets of a metropolitan city, but by the Himalayan snowy trails. The implementation of this wisdom was before me in the figure of Nepali Sherpas, men and women whose lives are a fabric interwoven into the mountains, doing their work with dedication and pride that makes one stop in reverence.
Unsung Heroes of the Himalayas
It’s an open secret: climbing Everest or reaching even its base camp isn’t possible without the Sherpas. They are the invisible support system of Himalayan expeditions. While climbers enjoy the glory of conquests, Sherpas shoulder the loads—mental and physical—that make them possible.
We had two porters, Mr. Jayaram and Mr. Thilanath, and a guide, Mr. Rishi Ram Bhantan, courtesy Third Rock company. These men would be out and about early every morning, long before we set out, after a hearty breakfast. By the time we struggled up sharp inclines, gasping for breath, they had long since climbed up the day’s destination and come half the way down for us to haul even light rucksacks. Their stamina was unbeatable, but more poignant was their calmness—no grumbling, no air of heaviness, only serene pride in their labour.
While trekking, we walked alongside porters carrying not just trekkers’ loads, but rice loads, kerosene tanks, and even logs of timber—anything needed for survival in the mountains has to come from the valleys. Their loads at times weighed more than their own body weight, yet their heart was less heavy than the mountain air. This was not just a job; it was their way of life. They are, in every respect, “born different and designed different.”
The Parable of the Potter
They reminded me of a story once related by an Indian guru. A king once went in stealth and approached a simple potter in a village. The potter worked the clay with exquisite dedication, every one of those pots smooth and sturdy and beautiful. When the king rose and said, “Why are you exerting yourself so over a plain pot?” the potter said, “Because each of those pots is me. I want every one of those seeing those pots to see me giving heart to them.”
The Sherpas illustrate this fact. Though their work may seem ordinary—carrying, guiding, supporting—the spirit in which they work makes it sublime. Like the potter’s clay, the trails that they climb impart their hallmark of greatness.
The Indian Parallel: Dabbawalas of Mumbai
Closer home, the story of the dabbawalas of Mumbai reflects the Sherpa spirit. These men have been carrying millions of lunchboxes through a hectic city for over a hundred years with a staggering degree of accuracy. Harvard Business School studied them for their near “six sigma” perfection. They are not spurred by technology but by commitment—an irreconcilable pride in getting their work done well, however humble it may appear.
Both Sherpas and dabbawalas demonstrate a very basic yet profound fact that dignity of labour is not a function of the kind of labour performed, it is a function of the spirit that goes into it.
Being Small in a Big World
Henry David Thoreau once said, “It is not enough to be industrious; so are the ants. What are you industrious about?” Sherpas give us the answer each day. They make us realize that the value of work lies not in titles or salaries but in heart, in constancy, and in dedication.
When I observed Jayaram silently adjusting my backpack for me so that I would climb more easily, I learned this lesson: greatness lies often in gestures that no one applauds. When Thilanath smiled warmly at me after a long cold day, it was more valuable than any medal. Their humility bore an unstated lesson: when you work well at what you do, respecting and giving yourself to it, you raise not just yourself, but everyone around you.
Lessons for Us All
Sherpas’ lifestyle has some teachings for us that last forever:
Excellence is universal. Whether you’re sweeping streets, writing code, or carrying supplies up a mountain, do it with the care of an artist.
Dignity comes from within. Society may label some jobs “small,” but no job is small when done with devotion.
Service is strength. The Sherpas don’t climb for glory. They climb so others can. In their service lies their greatness.
Resilience is character. In a world quick to complain, the Sherpas remind us that true strength is silent endurance.
Incorporating Sherpa Spirit into Daily Life
We may not climb icy slopes every day, but office, home, and society are mountains of ours. To shoulder responsibility comfortably, to labour at work, and considering work as worship—that is to live a Sherpa sort of life.
“It is the worker who is closest to God. He that worketh is the best worshipper,” stated Swami Vivekananda. And from the world platform, Steve Jobs reaffirmed the same while advising, “Be a yardstick of quality. Some people aren’t used to an environment where excellence is expected.”
Final thoughts:
The world may never remember all the Sherpas that compose Everest. But there among them stood I feeling Martin Luther King Jr.’s words take body and soul. If heaven would stoop and bless a street sweeper, it would surely stoop and bless those mountain-bearers of human hopes.
Perhaps that’s the ultimate lesson: greatness is not about looming large over the world, it’s about elevating other individuals up that they may.
Call to Reflection:
Next time that you feel like your work is insignificant or inconspicuous, recall the Sherpa spirit. Ask yourself this: Do I do this like Michelangelo painting, like Shakespeare writing, like Beethoven composing? If the answer is yes, then you are already at the summit.
Dr. Prahlada N.B
MBBS (JJMMC), MS (PGIMER, Chandigarh).
MBA in Healthcare & Hospital Management (BITS, Pilani),
Postgraduate Certificate in Technology Leadership and Innovation (MIT, USA)
Executive Programme in Strategic Management (IIM, Lucknow)
Senior Management Programme in Healthcare Management (IIM, Kozhikode)
Advanced Certificate in AI for Digital Health and Imaging Program (IISc, Bengaluru).
Senior Professor and former Head,
Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Skull Base Surgery, Cochlear Implant Surgery.
Basaveshwara Medical College & Hospital, Chitradurga, Karnataka, India.
My Vision: I don’t want to be a genius. I want to be a person with a bundle of experience.
My Mission: Help others achieve their life’s objectives in my presence or absence!
My Values: Creating value for others.
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Lovely reading it…….
ReplyMy dad would always say…..it’s ok to sweep the streets….but do it such that people should stop and ask- who swept here!
Do it with “ shraddhe”.
Esp liked the last line.
Dear Dr. Prahlada N.B Sir,
I'm deeply moved by your inspiring post, "The Sherpa Spirit: Lessons from the Roof of the World." Your reflections on the Sherpas' dedication, humility, and excellence are truly thought-provoking. The way you wove together the stories of the Sherpas, dabbawalas, and great thinkers like Martin Luther King Jr. and Henry David Thoreau is nothing short of masterful.
Your emphasis on the dignity of labor, the importance of heart and dedication in one's work, and the value of elevating others through our actions resonates deeply. It's a powerful reminder that greatness lies not in the job itself, but in the spirit with which we approach it.
Thank you for sharing your insights and experiences with us. Your writing has encouraged me to reflect on my own approach to work and the value I bring to others. I'm grateful for your thought leadership and look forward to more of your inspiring posts. 🙏💕
ReplyDear Dr. Prahalada,
ReplyI am deeply by your motivational blogs and I am silently following ..
When it comes to Sherpas, I learnt a lot with the King of Sherpas, Late Tensing Norgay with whom I was closely associated while he was admitted at AIIMS, New Dehi for a Lung abscess . I used to reach the Special ward where he was admitted under my boss Dr. Guleria not to treat rather to pick up a conversation about his life and there ways of living and how he made it what was impossible until then reaching the peak of the mount Everest effortlessly. This effortless ascent was earmarked the talents of Shepas and no wonder Edmond Hillary soon recognised his skills of mountaineering and made his partner to achieve the impossible ascent to the peak of Himalayas for the first time in the world history. As a matter of fact Tensing was unaware he was already at the tip of mount Everest and another step would have toppled hom which was prevented by Edmond Hillary acknowledging that it was Tensing the Indian made it first and later all the controversies in the western world as he was First. Sadly, I was not so motivated despite smitten by a Nobel soul of Sherpa to make it if not to the peak rather the base of Himalayas which you made it ..🙏