You don't solve a problem from the ledge. You can’t negotiate a deal while you’re looking at the pavement. You have to step back inside the window first.

Step back in.

We’ve all seen the movie poster: the tired detective, the hostage negotiator, and the man standing on a narrow strip of concrete fifty stories up.

The man on the ledge isn't a hero. He isn't a villain. He's just a person who forgot that there is a warm room with solid floors waiting just behind him.

Your chest tightens. Your vision narrows to just the drop below. The noise of the city (or in my case, the noise of the dishwasher and the kids yelling in the living room) fades into a dull roar. You start doing the math in your head: If I let go of this contract, what happens? If I miss this payment, how far do I fall?