The life of Philippe Petit and how he crossed the World Trade Center’s twin towers on a high wire is a remarkable story. The documentary film, Man On Wire, recounts how Petit overcame insurmountable odds to achieve his ultimate artistic dream. His feat serves as a timeless metaphor to setting a goal and taking the necessary action steps to plan, train and focus on undeniable success.
What’s truly amazing is the fact that Petit spent over 45 minutes crisscrossing between the towers. He waved at the waiting police. He laid down on the razor thin wire smiling face up at heaven. He propped up on one knee, and looked below to the gathering crowd. He wasn’t about to let his years of intense training and focus end with just one crossing. Given where he was, Petit lived a lifetime in the ultimate moment of Now.
So it was timely I came across a post by Liz Strauss today about living in self doubt. That dark place where it’s easier to sell ourselves short. Easier to use situations as the scapegoat for our own escape. Liz makes a profound point that it’s easy to disconnect when your familiar world suddenly changes. You fall into a black hole where your star no longer shines. If anything, it’s in these moments when we need to connect to our higher selves. In turn, we join the flow of life that propels us to our next artistic feat.
The last thing Petit was going to do was become disconnected from his high wire.
In his own words,
“Life should be lived on the edge of life. You have to exercise rebellion. To refuse to tape yourself to rules. To refuse your own success. To refuse to repeat yourself. To see every day, every year, every idea as a true challenge. And then you are going to live your life on a tight rope.”
As I watched Man On Wire, I kept thinking that the twin towers are no longer there. Perhaps being in the center of our own high wire is where we find balance between new pillars. Whatever they become.
Image Source: Jean Louis Bondeau | Polaris
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