My Childhood Adventure: Climbing 20-Meter Palm Trees
This is a personal story about how one childhood adventure unexpectedly shaped my mindset as an entrepreneur. It’s not business advice—just a real experience that taught me lessons I still use today.
When I was a kid, I climbed palm trees almost every day. Some were near my house. Others were far away. If you didn’t grow up in the countryside like me, this might sound strange. But for us, it was normal life.
Those trees were tall—really tall. Most of them reached approximately 20 meters in height. That’s like a six-story building! But I wasn’t scared. Among my friends, I was always the bravest climber.
Two Ways to Climb: With a Ladder or Without
There were two types of palm trees we could climb, and the way we approached each was different.
Trees With Bamboo Ladders (Private Property)
Some trees had bamboo ladders. The owner would cut a long bamboo pole, let it dry, and trim the branches. They’d leave small stubs on the bamboo to use as steps. This ladder remained on the tree at all times.
This was a clear message: “This tree is mine. Don’t touch it.”
Trees Without Ladders (Free for Everyone)
On the other hand, many palm trees had no ladders. These trees were free for anyone to climb, so my friends and I would go after them whenever we could.
The Dangerous Climb: How We Did It
Climbing without a ladder was hard work. It was also dangerous.
Here’s how we did it:
- We tied a scarf around our waist with a knife inside.
- We hugged the tree trunk tightly with both arms.
- We pressed our chests against the rough bark.
- We pushed ourselves up, inch by inch.
- We kept sliding, pulling, and climbing until we reached the top.
The tree trunk burned against our skin. Our chests hurt from the rough bark. Our arms got tired. But we kept going. Why? Because our friends were watching from below, cheering for us. And because sweet fruits were waiting at the top.
The Risks We Took
Sometimes, things went wrong. We could have fallen and died. But we took the risk anyway. We were kids, excited and brave (maybe too brave).
I still remember one scary moment. We climbed all the way to the top, ready to pick the fruit. Suddenly, a wasp nest exploded right next to us! We had to scramble down as fast as we could, barely escaping with our lives.
That day taught me something important: sometimes you face unexpected dangers, but you learn to survive.
What Palm Trees Taught Me About Business
Looking back now as an entrepreneur, I realize that climbing palm trees was perfect training for business life.
Keep Pushing Forward Every Day
When you climb a palm tree, you can’t stop halfway. If you stop, you fall. You must keep pushing upward, even when it hurts.
Entrepreneurship is the same. You must push yourself toward success every single day. If you don’t move forward, nothing changes. You stay in the same place.
Dream Big (Even If People Laugh)
As kids, we dreamed of reaching the top of those giant trees. Adults probably thought we were crazy. But we did it anyway.
Entrepreneurs are dreamers too. They have bold visions—so big that other people laugh at them. But here’s the secret: if no one laughs at your dream, it might not be big enough.
Energy and Determination Win
Climbing a 20-meter tree takes incredible energy. So does building a business.
Entrepreneurs are filled with a special kind of energy. This energy helps them create things, keep going when times are hard, and turn dreams into reality.
You Must Try, Not Just Think
Knowing about palm trees isn’t the same as climbing one. Hearing about the fruits isn’t the same as tasting them.
The same is true in business. Entrepreneurs believe that knowing, hearing, or understanding isn’t enough. You have to try. You have to do. And you have to keep doing it until you succeed.
The Most Important Lesson
Here’s what I learned from those childhood days:
Keep pushing. Keep climbing. Never stop until you reach your goal.
The tree trunk will hurt your chest. Your arms will get tired. You might face wasps or other dangers. But if you keep going, you’ll reach the top. And the reward will be worth it.
Build Your Own Dream
Remember this old saying:
“If you don’t build your own dream, someone else will hire you to build theirs.”
When I was climbing palm trees, I was chasing my own adventure. I wasn’t helping someone else pick their fruits. I was getting my own.
The same choice exists today. You can climb your own tree, or you can hold the ladder for someone else.
Final Thoughts: Are You Ready to Climb?
Being an entrepreneur isn’t easy. It’s like climbing a 20-meter palm tree without a ladder. It’s scary. It’s hard. You might get hurt. People below might laugh at you.
But if you keep pushing upward, inch by inch, day by day, you’ll eventually reach the top. And when you do, the view will be amazing.
Looking back, I realize that entrepreneurship isn’t about money or luck—it’s about courage, persistence, and belief.
Those palm trees were my first lessons in all three.
Every time I climbed higher, I learned to push through fear and pain until I reached the top. That’s exactly what starting a business feels like—hard, risky, but worth every step.
So if you’re dreaming of building something of your own, remember: success isn’t found—it’s climbed, one inch at a time.
So ask yourself: Are you ready to start climbing?
What’s your biggest challenge as an entrepreneur? Share your story in the comments below!
