Falling Forward

On the ascent to Everest Base Camp, everyone stumbles. Whether it’s from slipping on the wet mountain face, tripping on the uneven path, or being bumped into the side of the mountain by passing yak. It’s all part of the experience and a requirement to get to base camp. When it happens, you usually stumble in the direction you are heading. 

Everyone who heads into the Himalayas to make this trek has one goal. To make it to base camp. The idea of standing on the foot of the world’s tallest mountain pulls them up the mountains. People of all ages from around the world with varying physical abilities make this trip every year. And every one of them stumbled along the way.

What’s the point? When you are moving toward a goal and you stumble, you stumble in the direction you were heading. If the goal is to make it up the mountain, you stumble forward up the mountain. You fall forward. 

Consider the lesson in that for your life. Are you intentionally moving toward something or are you just kinda walking around aimlessly? Do you have something that is pulling you forward? Or have you learned to fear failure so you just stopped trying?

Here’s the thing. The fear of failing often stops you from falling forward. 

We all stumble. We all fall. Getting yourself back up and continuing the trek ahead is a lot easier when you fall forward. But to do so, you have to be already moving in that direction.