See Failure as a Stepping Stone to Success

Anyone who aims big usually ends up facing a big test.

What do I mean by that? In my book, I tell the story of mountain climber Craig DeMartino. His experience is a perfect example of how we can be tested to the extreme on our way to success.

During a climb with his wife at Sundance Buttress in Rocky Mountain National Park, he fell 100 feet to the ground. A tree broke his fall and saved his life, but he sustained several severe injuries, including a broken neck and fractured spine.

Resilience in the Face of Adversity

You’d think an accident like this would have put him into early retirement from mountain climbing. Instead, Craig chose to have his right leg amputated so he could get a prosthetic and continue to climb.

His resilience and willingness to accept this major test were well rewarded: He made history by becoming the first amputee to climb on the Nose at Yosemite’s El Capitan in less than a day. He also won the Adaptive Climbing National Championship twice and twice placed third at the Adaptive World Championships.

In a 2015 interview with Climbing.com, Craig shared a powerful message that speaks to the importance of embracing failure when we’re tested. When asked if he could go back and change anything and avoid the accident, he said, “It sounds really stupid but I wouldn’t change it now. The better of the two climbers is the climber today.”

Where the True Mindset Journey Begins

Any mindset student already knows that Craig’s true journey began that fateful day when he fell. His conscious decision to overcome all physical injuries and potential mental blocks was a matter of reclaiming his life or falling into despair. Craig was able to make this decision because he adopted a limitless mindset; free of fear and open to possibilities.

I share this story to inspire you to think about the ways you can develop resilience in the face of failure. The fact is, we all face major tests on the way to achieving our goals and dreams. The key to mastering one’s destiny is developing the ability to shift perspective so you can control your outlook on any given situation. We can learn to flip the natural negative script and think at a higher level, thus achieving a peak performance mindset.

Whether it’s a professional or personal challenge, we all have our metaphorical mountains to climb. We must always see our failures for what they are: stepping stones to success.

Want to learn more about improving your mindset for greater success in sales and life? Get your copy of my book, Journey to the Top: How to Reach Your Peak Performance Life.