Read that headline once again. ‘What Would You Do If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail?

What was your first immediate thought and emotional response? Starting your own business, climbing mountains, writing a book, becoming a neuro-scientist or something completely different but with a feeling of excitement? Or was it with an anxious feeling?

The headline question forces us to eliminate all perceived risk seemingly related to following a certain dream or goal. It makes us think freely from our hearts and souls. For some this can be an inspiring mantra, but for many it also provokes fear, and this is completely normal. The reason it makes many anxious is because the question removes all perceived limitations that we use as excuses as to why we can’t achieve our goal or dream. We humans love to postpone hard work and restrictions for tomorrow, the day after tomorrow and so on… We hide behind excuses and in that way stay in our comfort zones, since this is easier than what is really stopping us: Looking fear in the eye.

Irrational Fear

The truth is that if it excites you and scares you at the same time then it’s probably worth trying. Oftentimes it is fear and nothing else that stands in your way, which means that your only enemy is yourself. We fully acknowledge and understand anxiety, which is a broad spectrum without a main object for the anxiousness and this is a whole other story. What I am trying to address in this blog-post is something entirely different; and that is; irrational fear. One that we all have inside of us to some extent. The fear of not being good enough, of what other people think about us, the fear of failure. These are some of the most common fears which hold us back in our everyday lives and they are all a product of being alive in our current society.

Your Path Won’t Always be a Straight Line

Small kids don’t have this fear, they are the perfect example of someone who has not yet been exposed to our modern society for too long. If they were scared of what other people thought about them or of failure, do you think they would have ever learned to walk? Probably not. And I’m not trying to be some kind of all-knowing guru or anything, I’ve lived plenty in my comfort zone and still do in many occasions – truth is, we all do! But the riskiest and biggest decision I’ve ever made, also changed my life for good and I am forever grateful that I took the leap back then. I was a perfect student on the perfect path after having been admitted to a prestigious university and having gotten the perfect part-time student job, while also living in a dashing apartment in the city center. My life was perfect – on paper. But I was not happy at all, because weeks before, I had backpacked through South America, climbed mountains and fallen completely in love with an Ecuadorian mountain climber. While everyone around me and all rationality told me to forget about this adventure and stay on what was perceived as the right path in life, I decided to give it all up, move to South America and start a travel agency. And this is truly the best thing I’ve ever done for myself and my future. Your path won’t always be a straight line.

If you knew you couldn’t fail, would you then start tomorrow?

We are bombed with irrational fear every day on the news, from friends and family even though they mean well, from marketing and many other places. Thinking of the headline question, it makes us consider what we really want to do from a love-based point of view where the perceived fear doesn’t exist. Where we can pursue our dreams without the worry of rejection, failure or incapability. If your answer to the question is that you want to climb a big mountain, but you don’t spend any time putting money aside or training for that today – would you then start tomorrow if you knew you couldn’t fail? If the answer is yes, then the harsh truth is simply that your current perceived obstacles probably don’t exist. After all, the guarantee of success doesn’t change your current reality or tangible obstacles in any way. You are hiding in your comfort zone like so many others. The only way to deal with it is looking fear in the eye and say: “My soul is not for sale today”.

‘What Would You Do If You knew You Couldn’t Fail?’

If you read the headline question and nothing came to mind, chances are that you have been disconnected from your inner, true self for too long. It’s time to release yourself from the perceived societal shackles and let yourself be inspired again. Find your purpose; what your soul was meant to pursue. I was at that point many years ago, but I rediscovered myself both through love and mountain climbing. For me, climbing mountains is all about embracing the Now and the most spectacular sceneries in which you find yourself. This is where I feel the strongest and the humblest all at the same time. The mountains really give so much in return if you dare to embark on the journey. This is where true adventure still exists – far away from the norms of modern society.

So, What Would You Do If You Knew You Couldn’t Fail?

It’s time for you to find your stoke and if mountains excite you we have just the prescription for you no matter your level! Check out our transformative mountain climbing experiences HERE!

Hope to see you out there slaying in one way or another. Do you and stay stoked!

– Amalie, Co-founder of Summit Stoke