PASS Or FAIL In Life?

 

A week ago, famous American rock climber Alex Honnold did successfully accomplish his very first climb of a skyscraper and that was Taipei 101, which, as of 2026, ranks as the 11th tallest building in the world.  And here comes Alex Honnold WHO has successfully climbed both in the arctic and even in the deserts.  YET, a week ago WHEN he embarked on that plan to climb Taipei 101, even NETFLIX [who sponsored that event WHERE Honnold was paid a paltry amount of $500,000] WAS prepared with a scenario WHERE Honnold fatally falls and dies.  Indeed a super-scary, heart-stomping attempt BUT this is just one of the concrete examples in life WHERE we are expected to either PASS or FAIL, NO in-between results, NO half-half successes at all💚💛💜

To cut this long story short, Alex Honnold was able to climb up successfully up to the very tip of the tower of Taipei 101.  Enough of that not so breaking news anymore.  The opportunity I want to grab is this PASS or FAIL in life.  WHETHER we like this fact OR not, the harsh truth that in life, there is only either a PASS or FAIL, no greys, no embers, no other colors except black OR white.  Our common dilemma is that sometimes, we [wrongly] think OR thought [in the past] that stopping OR giving up one, two or three notches before grabbing the top plum is SUCCESS by itself which is NOT really the case dude!@#$%?

Many times in the past, I did bear witness [right on the front row] of people giving up even before the ballgame starts.  For zillions of reasons a.k.a. alibi OR excuses, they will never run out of reasons WHY they gave up even before that 'jump ball' in basketball.  WHICH is deplorable to say the least because I witnessed them preparing for that endeavor😔😔😔

NOT to be defensive, many of us were schooled where the academic ratings were NOT so simple enough akin to a PASS or FAIL.  Instead, a student can still have an academic grade of 75% and is still considered as having PASSED the subject, much similar to another student who garnered 99%.  BUT alas, that was our life in the academe environment.  In our school campuses then, we were then being prepared for the realities of life out there but at that point in time, even the most stern headmaster can still hand you a 75% grade and you can then claim to have successfully PASSED the subject.  Once we're thrown into the lion's den, dude, NOT to scare anyone BUT our life turns to that PASS or FAIL situation, nothing gray, nothing in-between💥💥💥

Our takeaway:  At this point, we are often left to imagine HOW this play [in life] plays out in real life as we tend to judge 'winners and losers' NOT only in games BUT even in our lives, sometimes blaming our pitiful selves for failures WHEN in fact, complex systemic issues were holding us back OR taking credit for successes that were aided by people OR even external forces we may be unaware of OR have taken it for granted.  On a personal level, it is critical that we have some sense of control over our own life.  At the same time, people WHO are unaware of this PASS or FAIL reality in life become more vulnerable to be waylaid.  That PASS or FAIL in life, indeed!!!