the ladder of success

The Real Ladder Of Success

The ladder of success isn’t a ladder, it’s a series of steps with gaps interspersed along the way.  Only those that take leaps and risk the fall will rise.  Then there comes a point where the gaps are too far apart and you’ll need to create the steps that don’t exist.  This is where people freeze, trapped between where they are and where they want to be.  This space is where you innovate instead of replicate, lead instead of follow, and stand out instead of blending in.                     

Inspired by “The Icarus Deception” by Seth Godin


Find Your Ladder

“It’s better to be at the bottom of the ladder you want to climb than at the top of the one you don’t”.  - Stephen Kellogg

Whether it’s getting promotions or degrees, we are all climbing a ladder.  But only some of us are climbing towards a destination we actually want to be in. 

Sometimes we choose a ladder simply because that’s the one that presented itself in front of us.  It seems sturdy and the reward at the top is visible.

But that doesn’t mean it’s your ladder.  Your ladder is the one that is shaky and leads to the unknown.  When you stand underneath it and look up, you feel an overwhelming doubt.  This fear is your assurance, it’s a positive declaration stating that this is the way towards the life you truly want.

It’s the way towards life's greatest rewards - fulfillment, peace and happiness.  These rewards don’t come at the end of your journey, they come after taking your first step. 

When you’re doing what you were put on this earth to do then being rich or poor, failing or succeeding, being hated or admired doesn’t matter as much as it used to.  You’re content knowing that your greatest gifts are not going to waste.

​Photo by Daniel Metz