100 Meters to Everest: Why Do We Back Down Right at the Finish Line?

In my youth, I listened with bated breath to the tales of seasoned mountaineers. Stories about glaciers, dangerous traps, and friendships forged stronger than steel cables. I looked at the slides (yes, I'm that old-school) and dreamed: someday, I too will conquer the height and look down on the world—in a good way, of course.

Mountains remained my love. And although I am far from professional mountaineering, I regularly pay tribute to this passion. There, the roads are serpentine, making you dizzy just looking down, and the emergency hammers on the bus are taped to the handrails with blue electrical tape—that magical artifact holding half the universe together.

People gather there, ready to trade a comfortable office chair and social status for a tent, the cold, and zero Wi-Fi. Why? To embark on their own Hero's Journey.

Business and career act exactly like a mountain ascent. I often use this metaphor because it works flawlessly.

Imagine:

And what's at the bottom? Base Camp. A hangout spot for dreamers. Here, the fire is always burning, tea is served, and most importantly—it's safe. This is the classic starting point in the monomyth where the Hero receives the "Call to Adventure," but... often hits the "Decline" button.

You know these people. They sit by the fire for years singing "Kumbaya," talking about unique ideas that are "just about" to change the world. But they never start. Don't rush to sneer. Someone has to stay at the bottom to welcome the winners and like their photos on Instagram, right?

But there are others. Those who are already packing. Those who understand: to make it, you need the right gear. Enter MriyaRun. Because climbing Everest without a map is bravery bordering on stupidity. The diaries and tools at mriya.run are that "magic elixir" or the Mentor's map that helps structure the chaos in your head before taking the first step.

This text isn't about those still at the camp. Nor is it about those who quit halfway due to fear of failure. This is about the elite. Those who have covered 90% of the path, can see the summit, but suddenly... stop.

It's a paradox. We hustle for years, overcome crises, and just when success (money, fame, position) is within arm's reach, we sabotage ourselves. We "forget" to show up for a crucial meeting, make rookie mistakes in contracts, or simply get sick at the worst possible moment.

Meet your inner monster: the Fear of Success. In the "last 100 meters," you face the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, or the Fear of the 4 "O"s (based on the original Russian terms, but let's adapt them):

Physically, it's clear: the more wealth you have, the more effort is needed to guard it. A grandma keeping her savings in a jar under the bed sleeps sounder than an investor. As the French say: "Once you become visible, you become a target." Emotionally, the "Monkey Principle" applies: "The higher the monkey climbs the tree, the more everyone below can see its behind." Be prepared: success is permission for the crowd to discuss your laundry (and not just the clean kind).

It's windy at the top, and frankly, there's not much room. A mechanic or a junior manager can discuss problems with anyone. But who does a CEO talk to? Old friends might not grasp your new scale ("Oh, stop whining about your millions"), and new peers are just as busy and stressed. A vacuum forms. And that is terrifying.

This is the ability to keep your word when everything goes south. Remember partners who flaked at the last minute? In a world where "no one owes anyone anything," responsibility is a heavy backpack. Many think, "I'll just do it myself rather than redo it after someone else." But big things aren't built alone. You have to trust, risk, and pray that the safety rope (and your partner) won't snap.

The most insidious enemy. You stand a step away from triumph, and a quiet voice inside whispers: "Okay, you climb up there. Now what?" It's the finale crisis. The fear that after achieving the goal, life will lose its flavor. Those who don't know how to work with their internal "why" are doomed to run in circles. Those who use self-reflection tools (hello, MriyaRun diaries) know: the summit isn't the end. It's just a vantage point for spotting a new target.

Only up there, on the mountain, overcoming these fears, do you answer the questions: "Who am I? Where am I going? And who can I lead?" When you find the answer, people feel it. They see power in you. They start to believe in themselves through you. This is what we call charisma.

I know this feeling personally: when only one dash separates me from the coveted rest, but my legs feel like jelly, and my brain generates a thousand excuses to turn back to the warm, safe (and boring) Base Camp.

That is why people go to the mountains in groups, but summits are conquered by individuals. Pack your bags, check your gear at mriya.run, and don't fear the monkey's red behind. The view from the top is worth it.