Climbing the Right Ladder

Happiness is more than success.

You’re not supposed to stand on the top three rungs of a ladder. I did it anyway, even though I recognized at the time what a bad idea it was.

This was a 32-foot extension ladder. Even leaned against a wall at a precariously straight angle, it had not brought me safely within reach of the eaves of the house I was painting. So I had climbed up to the highest rung and stretched as far as I could, fighting the temptation to look down at the concrete patio below.

You might think that this was stupid. Maybe it was. But the truth is that I needed the money. So I did my job with my 22-year-old heart pounding in my chest and sweat pouring from my brow.

Among the various life-lessons I’ve drawn from this experience is that it’s best to admit that sometimes you’re climbing the wrong ladder. And the consequences of climbing the wrong ladder can be very serious.

In the United States we frequently use the image of ladder-climbing to describe the pursuit of individual success. And we tend to equate suc…