Talking about his insane quest to scale all 14 of the world’s highest, 8,000-plus-meters mountains in just seven months, Nims Purja says:
“The mountain doesn’t say, ‘You are Black. You are white. You’re weak. You’re strong.’ It’s one rule for everybody: If you give up, you die.”
Not everything in life is as equalizing as the indifference of a cold, rock-hard peak reaching into the sky at cruising altitude, but ultimately, whatever metaphorical Everest might separate us from what we want, there still is one rule for everybody: If you give up, you lose.
You might not have beauty, but could you be the first disabled supermodel? You could. You might not be the smartest in school, but you could still make it into the Hockey Hall of Fame. And if you don’t have the means to travel to every country in the world, you could still cook a meal from every one.
Whichever mountain you hope to climb, remember true equality is not found without but within: It is our power to be creative, resourceful, and persistent that unites us. No matter how far away the peak, it is one rule for everybody: If you show us focus, courage, and perseverance, one day, you will make it to the top.