Don't Look Down? You Should! And Up Too.

When climbing a ladder, or hiking up a steep mountain path, you'll likely hear shouts of "don't look down!" The idea is that we'll get so overwhelmed and scared of heights, that we'll freeze up and fall. So it's best to just pretend we aren't that high up.

Basically, denial. "Don't look."

We also experience this "don't look" issue when we contemplate going for a new goal.  Right before undertaking a new goal, "don't look up!" is our fear. When you "look up" at your goal, whether you are about to hike up a huge mountain, scale a rock wall, or climb the corporate ladder -- it's scary to "look up" and see what lies before you in its full, challenging detail.  Again, "don't look."


It's just as scary to "look up" as to look down, because to really SEE what is up there, means taking in the enormity of your goal. Not ignoring it in denial. It means seeing the true challenges. Every frightening looking cliff that you're not sure you can handle, every potential office politics encounter you might have before getting your promotion, every chance you could slip and fall. Do you see why "looking up" is so frightening? Of course it is!

It's easier to simply "not look up" at that mountain, or promotion, or gorgeous person you want to ask out. This lets us ignore the terrifying risks. We can then deny that that mountain even exists, lists reasons to rationalize why we don't need to climb it, or we do climb it while insisting we aren't really climbing it at all.

All limit our capacity for success, because we aren't brave enough to "look up" to see the full big picture -- this means we either don't try in the first place, or we try, but we limit our success by not having our eyes open to potential challenges: not being willing to see that threatening looking piece of rock means not being prepared to avoid it.

Instead of "looking up" at all the possibilities of things "we can climb" we ignore these wonderful potential possibilities by keeping our scared eyes fixed on solid ground. We think, "If I don't 'look up' I won't be scared that I might climb up that thing and fall off! It's best to pretend the mountain doesn't exist. If I don't see it, it doesn't exist."

Think of all the goals you have, or the things you'd love to do, that you try your best not to "see." That you ignore, because you imagine they are a mountain too high to climb? The mountain isn't impossible to climb, but you won't know this, because without "looking up" you won't even consider scaling those rocks. That mountain doesn't "exist" to you, so long as you don't see it with your own eyes.

Whole areas of life may be on your "I refuse to see it" list. 

Not seeing the mountain means we don't have to evaluate the enormity of our huge goal, we keep our eyes on the ground and try to not think about "that grand mountain up there!" If we don't see it, we don't have to worry about it. For some of us, not "looking up" means we can avoid climbing it in the first place.

It is easier to just walk the ground, but it's not as satisfying -- and talk about satisfaction...how many of us are truly happy these days? How many are on anti-depressant medication? How many are just getting through the day? There are many reasons for those problems, but taking on very challenging goals is invigorating -- because you aren't totally sure if you can handle it, bigger challenges give you more of a rush, and are highly satisfying, where as very small goals are more boring and routine -- you just won't get the same happy rush from them.

And this is across the board -- we're not just talking about climbing mountains -- but about your personal and professional goals for your life now, and your future. Making these goals higher than you originally imagined is a good thing. Set that bar beyond what you think you're capable of, and you'll be surprised to see what you can do.

For example, I worked with a trainer a while back, and I had never "looked up at" the mountain called "strength." I assumed that being a girl, I could ignore this mountain, so I never even considered trying to increase my strength because I assumed I couldn't. I was shocked that I was lifting as much as some of the (smaller) guys! This trainer encouraged me to "look up" and see the mountain, and I climbed it. It was hugely satisfying to see how wrong I'd been. I'd been capable of this my whole life, and just never gave it a shot.

What in your life do you think might be similar to this? Something you might be capable of, but you've never even tried, because you've been too scared to "look up" at that mountain before you?

You might find that when you change how you do things, even slightly, you feel a rush of new life energy -- just as I did when I was lifting more weight than I ever had in my life! So many of us are denied this great experience by feeling pressure from family, work, or our communities to "do things the same way you did yesterday," and "don't you dare change!" But there is always room to make small changes to shake up and re-energize your life.

What are some goals you wish you had the guts to "look up at"? Maybe it's starting a really exciting business, getting out of debt, losing weight, switching jobs, moving, traveling, expanding your social circle, ending a relationship that just isn't working, starting a relationship that could work beautifully -- what are you "afraid to look up at?" There's no shame in admitting this, as it is scary for everyone to look up!

Write down the thing you're afraid to "look up at."

I'm afraid to "look up" at_______________________.

If you weren't afraid, what would you want to do? ____________________.

Fear is helpful. It helps to prepare you. So take that as encouragement to continue on. Some butterflies in your stomach, or even intense dread, doesn't mean your goal is doomed. It means you're at the base of a mountain, and you've become brave enough to look up.

So instead of "not looking down' or "not looking up" OPEN your eyes. SEE.

Once you can see the full path, you can prepare yourself for challenges, picturing yourself getting to the top easily. Then you'll feel excited to begin! And your nerves will change to a rush of exciting energy -- what a great way to refresh your life, right?

You should also learn to not fear "looking down" because this shows your progress. You climbed all the way up here, and you deserve to see that! The more you look, the more comfortable you'll feel with your surroundings, whether you are high off the ground or contemplating a challenge ahead of you, SEEing it helps prepare you.

You deserve it. Open your eyes to the task before you. See it in all of its enormity. Only then can you begin to climb.