The Greater the Success

The greater the success, the closer it verges on failure. This seems to be a paradox but when thought about it makes complete sense. We celebrate the big wins in life because they are normally very difficult or challenging. With any big moment of accomplishment, there are countless opportunities along the way where failure was either avoided completely or conquered. People reaching for goals far beyond their initial capabilities are a basis for where “great success” comes from. By staying within the realm of the possible or the known, such as an easy goal, we are not necessarily avoiding any failure since we already know what is possible.

The Space Race was not about flying in the air, that was already possible. It was about finding a way to get into space safely to see what was possible. Landing on the moon was the greatest public achievement to come out of this challenge and came after numerous failures. Success here almost did not come… but it did.

Crossing the Atlantic Ocean for the first time was not about sailing down the coast of Africa, that was already possible. It was about seeing how far the ocean went and what was on the other side. It was venturing into the unknown. The Americas and a different route to Asia were found as a result, changing the course of human history.

Smartphones did not use a keyboard with bigger keys, that was already invented. They scratched the keys and utilized a full touch-screen display, changing an entire industry in the blink of an eye.

Alex Honnold did not attempt to climb a route with a rope. He decided to try and become the first person to ever free solo El Capitán. In risking his life, he became the first to conquer the route and brought millions of eyes to the sport of rock climbing and free soloing.

In our personal lives, this rationale is why we should pursue the difficult. It is why we should embrace the unknown and push forward without having all of the answers. The struggle along the way, the failures we overcome, the learnings and new habits we develop, all guide us along the quest to that success. For any “eh” moment of accomplishment, there were limited stakes on the line. There was little doubt that success would be found so there was little reason to celebrate. As stakes are raised, as the unknown becomes stronger, as the physical task looms larger, so does the omnipresent, all-encompassing potential for failure. Winning when your back is against the wall opens up the floodlights for feelings of accomplishment, amplifying any emotion associated with the success. If there is beauty in the struggle, there is magnificence in reaching the finish line against the odds.