Rock Climbing and the Business of Obsession

Rock climbing isn’t just a sport—it’s a metaphor for life and business. I spent a good part of my college years climbing, obsessing over routes, and learning lessons that shaped how I approach entrepreneurship and construction today.

In climbing, we call tough routes “projects” or “problems.” You’ll spend days, weeks, even years trying to solve them. You get obsessed. You drive hours to the same spot, fingers raw, skin torn, trying to link moves together—moves that are just 1-2% beyond your current ability. That’s the magic zone: just outside your comfort zone.

Here’s the kicker: when you finally solve the problem, when you reach the top, there’s elation—but also emptiness. What now? The obsession that fueled you is gone. The climb is over.

That’s entrepreneurship.

• You obsess over landing that big contract.

• You work like crazy to hit a revenue goal.

• You dream of starting your business.

Then you achieve it, and it feels… fleeting. Because it was never about the milestone. It was about the climb—the daily grind, the problem-solving, the growth.

The lesson? Find your next problem.

• Something just 2% harder than what you’ve done.

• A new challenge that forces you to stretch.

It’s not about getting to the top. It’s about becoming someone who keeps climbing.