Watching Alex Honnold complete a live climb of Taipei 101 was exhilarating and nerve-wracking at the same time. It is impossible not to feel the tension. One slip, one miscalculation, and the consequences are real.
But beyond the spectacle, there is something deeper worth reflecting on.
1. Preparation Is Invisible, Performance Is Public
This was not about adrenaline. It was about preparation, discipline, and mental clarity under pressure.
And while I would never encourage my kids to climb skyscrapers, I do believe we can all learn how to symbolically climb the “buildings” in our own lives.
What we see is the climb.
What we don’t see are the years of training, repetition, mental conditioning, and physical discipline. The performance is the tip of the iceberg.
In life, whether it is business, school, or personal growth, the visible success is usually the final chapter. The real work happens quietly long before anyone is watching.
2. Fear Is Not the Enemy
It was nerve-wracking to watch because the stakes were obvious. Fear was present.
But fear is not weakness. It is information.
Preparation turns fear into focus.
Skill turns fear into awareness.
Experience turns fear into control.
That applies to giving a presentation, making a big career move, or taking on a challenge that feels intimidating.
3. Big Goals Are Achieved Incrementally
No one climbs 101 floors in a single leap.
It is grip by grip.
Step by step.
Breath by breath.
The same applies to anything meaningful. A degree is not earned in a day. A business is not built in a month. Confidence is not formed overnight.
Massive outcomes are the accumulation of small, disciplined actions.
4. THE BUILDING IS A METAPHOR
Taipei 101 represents scale. Intimidation. Doubt. The kind of challenge that makes you pause and ask, “Can I actually do this?”
Every person, including our kids, will face their own version of that building:
- A difficult academic year
- Trying out for a competitive team
- Moving to a new school
- Starting something from scratch
- Recovering from failure
- Stepping into leadership
The building is not just the obstacle. It is the mental barrier.
When you look up at something that big, the instinct is to feel overwhelmed. But the lesson is not about conquering fear recklessly. It is about breaking the impossible into manageable sections.
You do not climb the entire building.
You climb the next hold.
Symbolically, this is powerful.
Teach your kids to:
- Respect the height
- Prepare seriously
- Build the skill
- Take the first step
- Then focus only on the next one
That mindset applies to exams, sports, friendships, business, and life.
The goal is not to encourage dangerous risk.
The goal is to encourage disciplined courage.
Everyone has a Taipei 101 in their life.
The question is not whether it looks intimidating.
The question is whether you are willing to prepare for it, and then start climbing.
THINK WITH ALEC 
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