The Innovation Death Zone
Don’t mistake being “close to the summit” for being ready. Surround yourself with Sherpas — the quiet systems, people, and practices that keep you breathing in the thin air of change.
Mark Saymen
6/9/20251 min read


The Death Zone on Everest — and the Innovation Cliff We Rarely Talk About
At 8,000 meters above sea level, climbers enter what's known as the Death Zone — a place where oxygen is too scarce to sustain human life. Every step toward the summit is a race against time, judgment, and physical limits. 🧠⏳
The image below maps a chilling reality: over 200 bodies lie frozen along Everest’s ridges, many in the final stretch — just meters from the summit.
But what does this have to do with innovation?
Quite a lot, actually.
🚨 The Innovation Death Zone
In business and entrepreneurship, we face our own version of the Death Zone:
The final push after years of R&D
The funding crunch before product-market fit
The cultural exhaustion during digital transformation
The moments when legacy systems resist reinvention
Most innovations fail not at the beginning, but just before the breakthrough — when energy is depleted, alignment falters, and psychological safety disappears.
Lessons from Everest for Innovators:
Preparation isn’t optional — Clarity of purpose, reliable tools, and mental conditioning matter more than hype.
Supplemental oxygen = mentorship, process, and support — No one reaches innovation summits alone
Know when to pivot or turn back — Courage isn’t always charging ahead; sometimes it’s re-evaluating the path
Legacy is built on systems, not moments — Most climbers fail when they treat innovation as a one-time feat instead of a repeatable practice.
💡 Final Thought:
Innovation, like Everest, rewards resilience — but it also punishes ego.
Don’t mistake being “close to the summit” for being ready. Surround yourself with Sherpas — the quiet systems, people, and practices that keep you breathing in the thin air of change.
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