We took the girls to a new park the other day. They were so excited to go on new slides and climbing structures. It took a while until they found this structure that looked like something on the playground at my old elementary school. It was made to look like a snail and looked pretty complicated (and a little dangerous) to climb for our almost-5 and just-turned-6 year old.
While I was watching the girls climb, I was thinking about how they both had different strategies for climbing to the top and how this relates to their approach on life.
Some people are climbers (like Caroline). They start going after things right away without much of a plan. They aren’t afraid of falling or failing. It’s almost like that possibility doesn’t occur to them.
Then there are others who are cautious (like Kate). They are nervous about embarking on new things. They are intentional and plan out their moves. They like to take their time.
When Kate finally made it to the top she was so ridiculously proud of herself. More so than Caroline was, I think. Perhaps that was because Caroline never stopped to think about the possibility that she wouldn’t get up. She just climbed. Meanwhile, Kate doubted herself for a while. She got down and actually walked away from the structure for a few minutes before going back and attempting it again.
Those traits pretty much explain how the girls live their lives (so far) and go about every day things. Caroline’s a risk taker and doesn’t show a lot of fear. Kate is meticulous and feels she must be good at something before she even tries.
In the end both girls made it to the top, regardless of the method they used to get there. They were both equally determined, although from a distance it may not have appeared that way because it was easier for one than it was for the other.
I think I am more like Kate. I am cautious. I over-think and over-plan. I like walking away from something for a while so I can analyze it before heading back to tackle it again. I wish I had more of Caroline in me, but I live with the fear of failure.
What type of person are you? Are you a climber or are you cautious?
xoxo
–k