How do we get to the top? For most of us, that is a metaphorical question. But a rock climber must ask this question literally. So what can we learn from the real experience of someone who conquered the sheer face of El Capitan in Yosemite?

I recently saw a documentary about rock climbing called The Dawn Wall. It tells the tale of Tommy Caldwell, a rock climbing prodigy with an astonishing back story. As a teen, Tommy travelled to Kyrgyzstan on an expedition, where he was captured by rebels fighting a local war. Remarkably, Tommy was able to escape by pushing his captor off a cliff.

After returning home to the US, Tommy resumed his rock climbing career, but soon had another unfortunate incident. While doing some carpentry, he literally sawed off his index finger. You can imagine that for someone who climbs sheer rock walls and needs leverage to grab onto the slimmest of holding points, lacking an index finger is a quite a handicap. 

Grit and Perseverance

Instead of succumbing to his injury, Tommy set his sights on becoming the first climber to conquer the Dawn Wall of El Capitan. The Dawn Wall face is almost entirely sheer, with few ledges or cracks to grab for support. But Tommy, missing his index finger, was determined to make the climb. 

Of course I wouldn’t have written this if Tommy didn’t succeed. And on its face, it is a tremendous tale of perseverance and dedication to overcoming adversity and obstacles. 

Set A Plan

But there is something more we can learn. You see, Tommy didn’t just arrive at the base of the Dawn Wall and begin his climb. Instead, he spent months studying photographs of the Wall and meticulously planned his ascent.  He choreographed thirty-two separate sections, carefully planning each foothold and grasping point. 

Tommy knew that he needed a detailed and thoughtful plan to reach the top. A business is no different. To succeed – to climb the mountain – you need a plan that sets out every step along the way. 

Be Flexible

Now, I’m tempted to end the story there. But there is one more point to be made. There was one particularly difficult section on the Dawn Wall. It required Tommy to jump several feet to his left and grab hold of a tiny crevice in the wall – a nearly impossible feat for someone who isn’t missing an index finger. Tommy had planned for this, built a facsimile at his house and trained for the exact move. But when the time came, in midst of his ascent, he simply couldn’t execute the jump. 

What did he do? He went back over his plan, and devised a different route — descending and then circling back up the wall from a different angle. He made it to the top of the section – and ultimately to the top of El Capitan.

So, three takeaways from Tommy Caldwell’s story:

· First, to meet any challenge, you need to be gritty and persistent.

· Second, you need a plan.

· And third, you need to recognize that sometimes, to achieve your ultimate goal, you need to reassess and modify that plan.

If you do all three – you’ll be a good way towards the mountaintop.