The Men of Iron Minute

by Chad Zueck | Director of Content Creation

Leave the Ladder Down

I am not a fan of ladders. For a good reason. I had an extension ladder fall out from under me a few years ago (over a concrete floor) while running some audio/visual cables over my head. My landing was controlled by terror, gravity, and a cable that I clenched to slow the path to impending doom. My injuries were minor. However, my confidence in ladders was crushed along with my ego—still not a fan of ladders.

After a mind-numbing, time-sucking session on social media, I ran across a remarkable video of Firefighter Ladder Climbing Races. True story. That is not a typo. The racing firefighters have an unhealthy mixture of Red Bull, courage, and foolishness and race up several stories without the assistance of anyone else. Just a dude, a wall, and a ladder. It’s remarkable and terrifying—props to the firefighters out there. I get nervous cleaning my gutters, and you guys are legends.

After watching the video, a thought came to mind. The guys are solo climbing story after story, and they pull the ladder up after each story. What hit me was a burden for manhood today. Most men climb the ladder (mountain of manhood) solo and lift the ladder so no one else can follow them. Mentorship leaves the ladder down for the next man. We cannot reach the heights of manhood without the ladders of another, and other men need our ladder so they can reach their potential. Manhood is not a solo effort. Never has been. It never will be.

Leave the ladder down.

Another man needs to know the way up.

Do something.

Dare greatly.

Be a better man.

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