Before you climb, look down at who’s holding the ladder steady. They don’t get a view from the top.

Every rise has people underneath it who are taking on work and getting none of the result. A parent covering costs, a sibling absorbing the attention you got instead, a friend who kept listening when you were not much fun. Their contribution does not appear in the story afterwards, which is exactly why it needs saying out loud.

Name three of yours right now and be specific about what each one did. Then tell at least one of them this week. Keep the list when things go well, because believing the climb was a solo effort is the fastest way to lose the people who made it possible.