Reaching for the Stars

November 16, 2024


In life, there's a curious paradox that everyone seems to fall into: people will cheer you on to a point, but once you set your sights on something truly extraordinary, they often question why you want it, why you’re pushing so hard, why you’re aiming for the highest bar. It's almost as if they want you to succeed, but only if you’re playing within the limits they deem acceptable. The moment you aim higher than that, the same people who once wished you well start to look at you with a mix of confusion, skepticism, or even fear.

We live in a world where being content with "good enough" is often rewarded, where mediocrity has a certain level of comfort, and where striving for greatness can be seen as an act of defiance. But let me tell you something—if you're not aiming for the highest target, the loftiest goals, then what are you really doing? The truth is, to reach the ceiling is already a form of settling. If you don’t have an aim, you don’t have a chance. But to want to raise or surpass that bar? Now, that’s almost unheard of.

Reluctance to Raise the Bar

We live in a culture that tends to reward those who stay within their lane, who hit targets that are set for them, not those who go outside the lines. There’s something inherently uncomfortable about someone who doesn’t just want to meet the expectations set before them, but who actively wants to push beyond them. It challenges the status quo. It forces others to ask themselves, Why are they doing this?

When you set a goal that is far above what anyone around you expects, people often don't know how to react. It makes them uncomfortable because it reminds them of their own limitations—or worse, their own lack of ambition. If you’re aiming for something bigger, better, harder, it’s almost as if you're telling them their dreams weren't enough. It’s easier to sit in the comfort zone and not risk the discomfort that comes with striving for something extraordinary.

But here’s the thing: The bar should never be your ceiling. The ceiling is just a limit someone else set. The true journey begins when you start aiming for something that hasn’t been done before. And that's the path I’ve chosen: the hardest target, the highest bar. In everything I do, I make it my mission to pass that bar, not to merely meet it.

The Journey: Crazy at First, Uneasy Later

In the beginning, when you first embark on this journey, you’ll often be met with confusion and doubt. People will look at you like you’re crazy. They’ll say things like, "That’s too hard," or "It’s never been done." Some will wonder why you’re even bothering to chase something so ambitious. They’ll try to steer you back toward the safer, more comfortable path—because to them, the higher target seems like a fool's errand.

But then, as time goes on, something shifts. As you make progress, as you begin to chip away at that impossibly high goal, the same people who once questioned you start to feel uneasy. They’re watching you, and they see something in you that is both intimidating and inspiring. You’ve made a choice that challenges them to reconsider their own limits.

Now, they can’t look away. Some may begin to admire your tenacity, while others may feel threatened by the very thing they once thought was out of reach.

The Arrival: Joyous or Envious?

When you finally arrive at that destination, when you’ve achieved what others said was impossible, there are two reactions you’ll see most often: absolute joy or intense envy.

For those who’ve supported you along the way, your success will be a moment of celebration. They will rejoice not just because you succeeded, but because they got to witness your journey. They’ll be proud to say, “I knew you could do it.” Your victory will feel like a shared one, because it is—your success shows them that pushing boundaries is possible, that the highest bar can be reached. And that, in turn, will inspire them to go after their own dreams with greater courage and ambition.

But for others—those who doubted you, criticized you, or simply stood by and watched—your success will be met with envy. Not necessarily out of malice, but out of the painful recognition that they didn’t have the courage to follow the same path. Your victory reminds them of the risks they never took, the dreams they never chased, the limits they settled for. It’s easier to be envious than to admit that they could have done it too, if only they had the will to raise the bar for themselves.

Key to Surpassing the Bar

So why choose the hardest target? Why raise the bar when it’s easier to just meet it? Because greatness isn’t about playing it safe. It’s about pushing beyond your limits and expanding what you thought was possible. It’s about proving to yourself that you are capable of far more than you’ve been told. And in doing so, you become the example—the proof—that surpassing the bar is not just a dream, but a reality.

The journey is never easy. It’s full of obstacles, setbacks, and moments of doubt. But the rewards are priceless. When you raise the bar and surpass it, you don’t just change your own life—you change the lives of everyone who watches your journey. You become a living testament to the power of ambition, perseverance, and the courage to aim higher than anyone thought possible.

The next time someone asks you, "Why do you want to raise the bar?" Tell them this: Because I refuse to settle for less than I am capable of. Because greatness is a choice, and I’ve chosen it. And most importantly, because if I’m going to aim, I’m going to aim for the stars.