The Flaw in the Myth of Sisyphus

By now you’re aware that Syphus Training was named after the Greek mythology figure Sisyphus who was doomed to push a boulder up a mountain only to have it fall back down once he reached the summit; this was his eternal fate.

But, as it relates to Syphus, and your personal journey, I implore you to look at this myth from a different viewpoint.

I’ll be the first to admit it, one of my greatest character defects is to sabotage moments of success. I’m not quite sure what it is. Maybe I like to be the underdog. It’s possible I enjoy the challenge of beating the odds. But unfortunately, as I reflect, somehow at the root of it all it seems to me that I question whether or I am worthy of success and fulfillment.

Now I am not certain if this is a universal feeling shared by others. But I do know that I am worth it; and so are you. And with a little change in perspective to the myth of Sisyphus, you too can visualize this idea clearly.

What if the mountain that Sisyphus is trekking had no apex? He would keep climbing.

Follow me: The result of the myth, with or without a summit is still the same. As the myth goes the boulder would fall back down again once he reached the top. So, he kept climbing. Our “new” view of the myth without a summit; again, eternally climbing.

The point I’m trying to make is that we must not ever rest on our laurels. We must not think that we are at the pinnacle of our potential whether that’s in fitness or in life. We cannot afford ourselves to think that we have reached the top; because then we lose to desire to keep climbing.

And, if you’re like me, you will inevitably contemplate letting that boulder plummet just because you crave that constant push. Instead, envision that you’re scaling a mountain with no end and you’ll keep climbing without losing ground.

With no mountaintop to attain, your potential remains limitless.

 – Hackett