The Crux of it all: Overcoming the Aftermath of Success

Why the moments that follow a climactic challenge carry overwhelming weight and pressure, and how we can move past them.

Reaching for the Top

My forearms tingle. I hug the wall as tight as possible, fully engaging my core to reduce the load on my upper body. My left leg is heel-hooked on a sloper almost at chest height. My right foot is wedged into a pocket hold below the ledge, keeping me from sliding back down.

In this strange embrace, the next hold is just out of my reac…