Embracing the Silence
The uncomfortable art of sitting with yourself before the climb begins
Part of the Embrace the Climb series.
There is a moment before every climb. Not the exciting part where you’re lacing up your boots and checking your gear. Not the summit where you’re high-fiving strangers and taking in the view.
I’m talking about the moment right before you take that first step. When the alarm goes off at 4 AM and it’s still dark outside. When the world is silent except for your heartbeat.
That moment. That’s where the climb really begins.
The Weight of Starting
Most people think the hardest part of climbing is the physical exertion. The burning lungs, the screaming quads, the blistered feet.
They’re wrong.
The hardest part is the silence before the start. It’s facing the question: “Am I really going to do this?”
Because once you answer yes, there’s no turning back. Not really. You’ve committed to the discomfort. You’ve signed the contract with yourself.
Nothing Ventured, Nothing Gained. But also — Nothing Ventured, Nothing Lost.
The silence lets you feel the weight of that choice.
My 4 AM Ritual
When I first moved to Germany, I developed a strange habit. Every morning, before the sun came up, I would sit by my window with a cup of coffee and just… wait.
No phone. No music. No plan.
Just me and the quiet streets of a city I was still learning to call home.
At first, it was uncomfortable. The silence was too loud. My thoughts were too loud. I would fidget, check the time, look for distractions.
But slowly, something shifted. The silence became a training ground. A place where I could practice being with myself before I had to be with the world.
What Silence Teaches
In the silence, you can’t hide from yourself. You can’t perform. You can’t curate. You can’t swipe away the uncomfortable truths.
You just are.
And in that raw state, you learn things:
What You Actually Want
Not what your parents want. Not what your LinkedIn network applauds. Not what looks good on paper. But what your gut knows, even when your brain argues.
Where You’re Running
The projects you start but never finish. The relationships you maintain out of obligation. The dreams you chase because they sound impressive. Silence exposes the running.
What You’re Capable Of
Before the first rep, before the first mile, before the first word — there’s a version of you that exists only in potential. Silence is where you meet that version.
The Climb Doesn’t Care
Here’s the thing about mountains — they don’t care about your excuses. They don’t care that you’re tired, scared, unprepared, or second-guessing yourself.
They just are.
And they will be climbed by someone. Might as well be you.
But only if you’ve sat in the silence first. Only if you’ve faced the question and answered it honestly.
The climb doesn’t start with the first step. It starts with the decision to take it.
Your Turn
Find your silence this week. Not meditation apps. Not “mindfulness content.” Just you and a window and five minutes of nothing.
See what comes up. See what you’ve been running from. See what you’re capable of.
Then lace up.
The mountain is waiting.
Dennis Machu is the curator of this journal, a software engineer by trade, and a perpetual student of the climb. He believes the best views come after the hardest ascents — but only if you’re brave enough to start.