---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Remember the high board at the swimming…"
description: "\"Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there, it was high..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg"
---

#  Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days…

![“Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there, it was higher than ever. There were only two ways down: the steps to defeat of the dive to victory. You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, deathly…” quote by Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg)

> “Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there, it was higher than ever. There were only two ways down: the steps to defeat of the dive to victory. You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, deathly afraid. At last you leaned too far forward, it was too late for retreat, and you dived. The high board was conquered, and you spent the rest of the day diving. Climbing a thousand high boards, we demolish fear, and turn into human beings.”

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Overcoming fear by confronting a daunting challenge leads to empowerment and repeated success.

**In simple terms:** Facing fear builds confidence and growth.

Key Takeaway

Confront fear, then repeat the act.

Themes

courage growth overcoming fear confidence self‑efficacy

Mood

determined empowered hopeful

Type

philosophical motivational

When to use this quote

- sports training
- public speaking
- career advancement
- personal challenges
- learning new skills

Key Concepts

psychology risk‑taking personal development

Questions to Reflect On

- What fear have you avoided that could become a source of strength?
- How does repeated exposure change your perception of risk?

A Different Perspective

Fear may persist despite success; courage can be fleeting without support.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Adventure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/) [Board Conquered](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/board-conquered-2745823/) [Boards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boards/) [Climbed Wet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbed-wet-2745822/) [Climbing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climbing/) [Defeat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat/) [Defeat Dive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defeat-dive-2745821/) [Demolish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/demolish/) [Dive Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dive-victory-2745824/) [Dived High](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dived-high-2745820/) [Diving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diving/) [Edges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/edges/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Higher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/higher/) [Hot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot/) [Hot sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hot-sun/) [Human beings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-beings/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Lasts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lasts/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Platforms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/platforms/) [Pool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pool/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Retreat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retreat/) [Steps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/steps/) [Sun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sun/) [Swimming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming/) [Swimming pool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/swimming-pool/) [Thousand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thousand/) [Too far](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-far/) [Too late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-late/) [Turns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/turns/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two ways](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-ways/) [Victory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/victory/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Wet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wet/)

## Related quotes

> [“Then Cynthia looked at him and smiled, and he knew he couldn’t possibly resist her, no matter what she had done. It felt as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-burton-robinson/then-cynthia-looked-at-him-and-smiled-and-he-knew-he-couldn-t/)

[Robert Burton Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-burton-robinson/)

> [In Detroit there are a lot of houses they are going to demolish because no one is taking care of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/in-detroit-there-are-a-lot-of-houses-they-are-going-to-demolish/)

[Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/)

> [My main contribution was to demolish the myths that India couldn't economically afford nuclear weapons. Of course I made these political arguments too, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/subramanian-swamy/my-main-contribution-was-to-demolish-the-myths-that-india-couldn-t/)

[Subramanian Swamy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/subramanian-swamy/)

> [Every high C accurately struck demolishes the theory that we are the irresponsible puppets of fate or chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-h-auden/every-high-c-accurately-struck-demolishes-the-theory-that-we-are-the/)

[W. H. Auden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-h-auden/)

> [We crave a world of either/or, but the Dream says, Both/and. We build a wall between our social persona and our inner selves; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-ian-barasch/we-crave-a-world-of-either-or-but-the-dream-says-both-and-we-build-a/)

[Marc Ian Barasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-ian-barasch/)

> [Some people who meet me might think I starve myself, because there's such an assumption that being thin involves putting yourself through torture and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamsin-egerton/some-people-who-meet-me-might-think-i-starve-myself-because-there-s/)

[Tamsin Egerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamsin-egerton/)

> [Once I am in, I can demolish any side because that is my strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shikhar-dhawan/once-i-am-in-i-can-demolish-any-side-because-that-is-my-strength/)

[Shikhar Dhawan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shikhar-dhawan/)

> [ In 1982, when Alexander Haig and \[Ariel\] Sharon put this plan to invade the south of Lebanon and Beirut, they imagined that in two… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasser-arafat/in-1982-when-alexander-haig-and-ariel-sharon-put-this-plan-to-invade/)

[Yasser Arafat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasser-arafat/)

> [An art form requires genius. People of genius are always troublemakers, meaning they start from scratch, demolish accepted norms and rebuild a new world.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-langlois/an-art-form-requires-genius-people-of-genius-are-always-troublemakers/)

[Henri Langlois](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-langlois/)

> [The catastrophist constructs theories, the uniformitarian demolishes them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-whewell/the-catastrophist-constructs-theories-the-uniformitarian-demolishes/)

[William Whewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-whewell/)

> [“Apparently you’re only allowed to demolish Wolverhampton if you’re a property developer like Donald Trump. Crawling eldritch horrors don’t get planning permission unless they’re…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-stross/apparently-you-re-only-allowed-to-demolish-wolverhampton-if-you-re-a/)

[Charles Stross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-stross/)

> [What did not demolish me simply polished me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/india-arie-2/what-did-not-demolish-me-simply-polished-me/)

[India.Arie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/india-arie-2/)

> [We had the city trying to demolish two of our exhibition spaces, which was at first pretty disturbing. But following the freak-out is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirsha-kaechele/we-had-the-city-trying-to-demolish-two-of-our-exhibition-spaces-which/)

[Kirsha Kaechele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirsha-kaechele/)

> [We study health, and we deliberate upon our meats and drink and air and exercises, and we hew and we polish every stone that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/we-study-health-and-we-deliberate-upon-our-meats-and-drink-and-air/)

[John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/)

> [The problem was Le Corbusier was a genius and an enormous artist, but he tried to resolve problems to which there is no solution.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-krier/the-problem-was-le-corbusier-was-a-genius-and-an-enormous-artist-but/)

[Leon Krier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-krier/)

## More by Richard Bach

> [“Heaven is not a place, and it's not a time. Heaven is being perfect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/heaven-is-not-a-place-and-it-s-not-a-time-heaven-is-being-perfect/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [You'd chosen to be an upright biped on the surface of a small planet of a minor sun on the edge of a minor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/you-d-chosen-to-be-an-upright-biped-on-the-surface-of-a-small-planet/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Your harshest truths are dreams, and your gentlest dreams are true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/your-harshest-truths-are-dreams-and-your-gentlest-dreams-are-true/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [“Happiness is a choice. It is not always an easy one.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/happiness-is-a-choice-it-is-not-always-an-easy-one/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Argue for your limitations, and sure enough they're yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/argue-for-your-limitations-and-sure-enough-they-re-yours/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [The world is a dream, you say, and it’s lovely, sometimes. Sunset. Clouds. Sky.” “No. The image is a dream. The beauty is real.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-world-is-a-dream-you-say-and-it-s-lovely-sometimes-sunset-clouds/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [The original sin is to limit the Is. Don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-original-sin-is-to-limit-the-is-don-t/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Silly ideas, worth the admission price in smiles, but they're true. Is high-energy physics interesting because it's true or because it's crazy?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/silly-ideas-worth-the-admission-price-in-smiles-but-they-re-true-is/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [The best way to pay for a lovely moment is to enjoy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-best-way-to-pay-for-a-lovely-moment-is-to-enjoy-it/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/i-am-tired-of-clinging-though-i-cannot-see-it-with-my-eyes-i-trust/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [If you want to meet someone who can fix any situation you don't like, who can bring you happiness in spite of what other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/if-you-want-to-meet-someone-who-can-fix-any-situation-you-don-t-like/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [The space for what you want is already filled with what you settled for instead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-space-for-what-you-want-is-already-filled-with-what-you-settled/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [The books remind us that way down deep in our hearts, part of us knows that we are creatures of light and we cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/the-books-remind-us-that-way-down-deep-in-our-hearts-part-of-us-knows/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Part of us is always the observer, and no matter what, it observes. It watches us. It does not care if we are happy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/part-of-us-is-always-the-observer-and-no-matter-what-it-observes-it/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

> [Kindle Singles is publishing on skates. It prints like lightning; our book meets readers in hours. I've spent so many years waiting for publishers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/kindle-singles-is-publishing-on-skates-it-prints-like-lightning-our/)

[Richard Bach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

[Explore all 539 Richard Bach quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/)

## More Adventure quotes

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/)

[Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/)

> [I've used the Phoenix Centrifuge to replicate what the body's going to go through on the flight up. I've also done some gravity tests…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/i-ve-used-the-phoenix-centrifuge-to-replicate-what-the-body-s-going/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [I have lifted my plane . . . for perhaps a thousand flights and I have never felt her wheels glide from the Earth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beryl-markham/i-have-lifted-my-plane-for-perhaps-a-thousand-flights-and-i-have/)

[Beryl Markham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beryl-markham/)

> [I am attracted to looking at the different things language can mean even in one sometimes quite ordinary utterance. Writing is partly about listening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rae-armantrout/i-am-attracted-to-looking-at-the-different-things-language-can-mean/)

[Rae Armantrout](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rae-armantrout/)

> [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/)

[Jessica Yu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-yu/)

> [“So many people live within unhappy circumstances and yet will not take the initiative to change their situation because they are conditioned by a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/so-many-people-live-within-unhappy-circumstances-and-yet-will-not/)

[Alexander Supertramp Chris McCandless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-supertramp-chris-mccandless/)

> [A common fallacy in much of the adverse criticism to which science is subjected today is that it claims certainty, infallibility and complete emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/a-common-fallacy-in-much-of-the-adverse-criticism-to-which-science-is/)

[Cyril Norman Hinshelwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-norman-hinshelwood/)

> [“Exactly. I think the original tantric Buddhists took notice of was some very wise old people who never studied in their youth, but took…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-niemczura/exactly-i-think-the-original-tantric-buddhists-took-notice-of-was/)

[Joe Niemczura](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-niemczura/)

> [As an adventurer...I try to protect against the downside. I make sure I have covered as many eventualities as I can. In the end,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-branson/as-an-adventurer-i-try-to-protect-against-the-downside-i-make-sure-i/)

[Richard Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-branson/)

> [“Love can give you such happiness, then can break the very heart it filled, leaving a hole that can never be fixed or protected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mcleod/love-can-give-you-such-happiness-then-can-break-the-very-heart-it/)

[Kevin McLeod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mcleod/)

> [“It always gave Wolf a peculiar thrill thus to tighten his grip upon his stick, thus to wrap himself more closely in his faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cowper-powys/it-always-gave-wolf-a-peculiar-thrill-thus-to-tighten-his-grip-upon/)

[John Cowper Powys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cowper-powys/)

> [“It all had to be squeezed and squeezed again, to provide a thrill, to provide enjoyment. What did people mean, with their simply determined…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-h-lawrence-2/it-all-had-to-be-squeezed-and-squeezed-again-to-provide-a-thrill-to/)

[D.H. Lawrence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-h-lawrence-2/)

> [I am not an adventurous person but I am gutsy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-am-not-an-adventurous-person-but-i-am-gutsy/)

[Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/)

> [Our civilization, bequeathed to us by fierce adventurers, eaters of meat and hunters, is so full of hurry and combat, so busy about many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/our-civilization-bequeathed-to-us-by-fierce-adventurers-eaters-of/)

[James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/)

[Browse all 7,690 Adventure quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adventure/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet steps to the platform. From there, it was higher than ever. There were only two ways down: the steps to defeat of the dive to victory. You stood on the edge, shivering in the hot sun, deathly afraid. At last you leaned too far forward, it was too late for retreat, and you dived. The high board was conquered, and you spent the rest of the day diving. Climbing a thousand high boards, we demolish fear, and turn into human beings.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Richard Bach"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming-pool-after-days-of-looking-up/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Adventure"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming-pool-after-days-of-looking-up/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/092/richard-bach-424_adventure_remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming_1081261.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Remember the high board at the swimming pool? After days of looking up at it you finally climbed the wet…” — Richard Bach",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Richard Bach",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-bach/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "Remember the high board at the...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming-pool-after-days-of-looking-up/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-bach/remember-the-high-board-at-the-swimming-pool-after-days-of-looking-up/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
