Traditionally, the idea of a safety net is to catch you in the event of a fall. For acrobats, this is a literal net; applied to finance or career, this looks like protections from job loss or financial hardship.

Another version of this concept -- one which I would argue holds more value -- is a safety net of people to hold you accountable. This safety net is not in place to catch you in the event of a fall or to provide some support before you reach rock bottom. Rather, it is meant to continue pushing you higher and higher, to never let you let off the gas so much that rock bottom is even an option. This safety net of peers acknowledges that failures and falls are an inevitability, but focuses on what you can control rather than what you can’t, and sees the clear next step after a fall as getting up, continuing on the trajectory upward. This safety net of peers, most importantly, does not provide you with an easy way out when things get tough, and in that way can be uncomfortable. But then again, comfort never really paves the path up.

There are plenty of safety nets out there, but most of them just soften the blow and appease. Maybe it’s time we up our standards for safety nets.

- PS

6/25/18

• 15 min AMRAP

• 5 unbroken ring dips

• 10 unbroken knees to elbow

• 15 unbroken burpees

• 20 unbroken alternating pistols

• 30s unbroken dead hang from bar

• *if a set is broken, must start set over; rest as needed between sets