Give In To Peer Pressure

By Mark Brown

Is peer pressure good or bad? Does it make us feel awkward or uncomfortable and cause us to act in ways we shouldn’t? It certainly can.

But it can also prod us to leave our comfort zones, explore what we’re really capable of, and reach our fullest potential.

I’m not a mountain climber by any stretch of the imagination. It took peer pressure for me to accomplish the goal of climbing the Grand Tetons and reaching its summit.

My “peers” on this journey were a trusted friend and five other climbers that he trusted. Trust is certainly a great asset on a 22 miles hike and climb that takes you from 6,000 to 14,000 feet above sea level.

At one point, after exhausting myself both physically and mentally, I reached a crossing about 40 feet across and 2,000 feet straight down. The advice “Don’t look down” went about as well as it does in any movie where similar advice is given.

My eyes were immediately focused on the ground so far below me. To say that my fear of heights was kicking in would be the understatement of the year.

But being about 1,000 feet from the summit, I realized that if I didn’t cross, the whole group would have to turn around without accomplishing our shared goal.

I felt peer pressure to not let down the group and continue on.

I also felt the importance of trust being two-sided. I would not have set out on this journey if I did not trust my friend. But equally important, my friend, who has done this climb before, would not have put me in this situation if he didn’t trust that I could do it.

He had properly prepared me for this moment. From taking me to buy the proper equipment to knowing and trusting in my capabilities to be part of this team, I had been prepared.

This experience really applies to all walks of life. In any endeavor it is important that there is a mutual trust and that we form an effective “climbing team” that can spur us with positive peer pressure.

Trust in our team keeps us all moving in the same direction. It makes it easy to give into peer pressure and never stop short of our goals out of fear.

We all have fears—the fear of failure, the fear of rejection, etc. And we’ll still feel them even when we’re surrounded by people we trust. But the right environment and relationships can make all the difference.

Two things helped me push past my fear of heights on my journey to the summit. First, I surrounded myself with trusted peers. Second, I envisioned how it would feel to push past my limitations and accomplish something great.

Build a team based on trust and envision what accomplishment might look like. Rely on your teammates for support, and rely on your vision for motivation when doubts creep in.

With the right peer pressure on your side, what can keep you from reaching your summit?