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How to Let Go of the Fear of Failure That Is Holding You Back From Success
A thought experiment and strategies from Jia Jiang, Tina Seelig, and Tim Ferriss
Take a moment and imagine you are a mountain climber. You are climbing one of the largest mountains in the world and are close to reaching the peak, which is a goal you’ve had all your life. You’ve prepared yourself physically and mentally.
You are beginning the final stretch of your climb, when you decide to rest on a small ledge that juts out about three feet from the mountain. You see another climber approaching you from below. He lifts himself up and joins you on the ledge. He’s wearing a rope tied around his waist and holds the loose end in his hands. He holds out the end of the rope and says, “Pardon me, would you be so kind as to hold the end for a moment?”
You take the rope. “Thank you,” says the man, who then adds, “Use two hands now, and remember, hold tight.” To your surprise the man jumps off the ledge and yells, “Don’t let go!” I’ll fall a thousand feet if you do.” You hold on with all your strength. The man is suspended over a chasm, and sure to die if he falls. You try to pull him up, but he is too heavy. You offer suggestions about how he could climb up the rope. The man shouts back, “Hold on. Don’t let go. If you let…
