<photo: at 3653m, it's just 5 more minutes to the summit of mount kinabalu. (actually it's at least another 2 more hours)>
the summit height of mount kinabalu is at 4,096m. in order to reach the summit, you must first arrive at the halfway point. and in order to reach the halfway point, you must arrive halfway to the halfway point - which is the one-quarter way point.
you get the point (no pun intended) - in order to reach the summit of mount kinabalu, you need to reach the halfway point of a halfway point of a halfway point and on and on and on.
you have to reach an infinite number of halfway points to cover a finite distance, which means that you will never reach the summit. so why bother starting. this is the dichotomy paradox, first described by Zeno, a Greek philosopher - "that which is in locomotion must arrive at the half-way stage before it arrives at the goal".
of course common sense, and calculus and modern mathematics, tells us that Zeno's paradox is incorrect. but what's wrong with Zeno's logic, which is still being debated among philosophers today?
climbing mountains requires a certain level of physical fitness. it also requires a high level of mental fitness. mountaineers always tell themselves "it's just 5 more minutes" and when the 5 minutes are up, it's another 5 more minutes, again and again until they reach the summit. it's when your legs give up on you, your mind tells you to keep going. just another 5 more minutes.
don't give up on your dreams and what you want to achieve. it's just 5 more minutes away.
related posts: journey to the point of no return