The Climb
What Would You Do Without Fear?
What will people think of me?
What if I make a mistake?
What if I fail?
We ask ourselves these questions like they’re stop signs.
But what if we asked something else?
What if failing isn’t the end—but the beginning?
What if it’s not proof you can’t—but proof you’re trying?
I grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where rock climbing is basically a religion. In college I joined a rock gym and learned how to praise the Rock Gods.
I found fun and freedom in those Friday night climbs.
And here’s something you might not expect: I’m afraid of heights.
But it wasn’t the height I feared.
It was the climb.
The uncertainty.
The shaking legs.
The moment where you reach farther than you ever have—and don’t know if you’ll make it.
I was afraid of falling.
The higher I got, the greater the risk.
My head full of perfection and overthinking.
My heart full of adrenaline and awe at what my body could do.
I climbed onward and upward anyway.
Climbing taught me what perfection never could:
You will fall.
It’s a part of the process.
Even the boldest climbers fall.
And when you do, you learn what catches you.
Your people. Your systems. Your resilience.
When you fall: You catch your breath.
You thank the Rock Gods that your gear worked and that you were caught.
You reflect. You learn from the fall. And you get back on the wall.
You learn to let the fall be a part of the climb.
And that keeps you in motion.
It keeps you reaching.
So let me ask you again:
What would you do if fear wasn’t in charge anymore?
What new heights would you reach?
Don’t let the fall stop you. Let it teach you.
You were made to climb great heights.
If you’re falling, it’s okay. That is part of the climb.
If you’re beginning again or starting later in life:
You’re not behind.
You’re still climbing.
And that’s what matters.
"Ain’t about how fast I get there,
Ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side…
It’s the climb."
Miley Cyrus " The Climb"