When I started pledging a fraternity during my freshman year of college, the older guys in the house did all kinds of things to scare the other pledges and me.

They told us about all kinds of horrible things that would happen to us. They really scared a few guys.

I pretty much took it all in stride and gained the respect of the older guys – who never followed through on any of their threats because it was all a game – with one great decision.

I called their bluff.

I learned all of this growing up with four older brothers. Sometimes, it’s easier to be made fun of for not doing something well than it is to be made fun of for not even trying at all.

That lesson echoed in my head the other day at a special picnic we had at work. There were lots of activities, including a climbing wall.

When I first saw the wall, I decided I wouldn’t even go near it. We had the same kind of wall at a similar event a few years ago, and I tried it then.

Things didn’t go so well. I’m not a very outdoorsey guy to begin with. Add in my belly and my stubby fingers, which were constantly hurt when I wrestled, and there was no way I was getting to the top of that wall.

I figured if I stayed away, there wouldn’t be a repeat of that. I could talk with lots of other friends, enjoy the food, and keep my pride intact.

I couldn’t even stick to that simple plan.

I saw four friends over by the wall and decided to watch them make fools of themselves. When I got over there, I found out one had declared he wouldn’t climb no matter what.

The two women in the group then climbed. When I saw them get to the top and saw the other guy in the group waiting to go alone, I couldn’t stand hearing them make fun of me for not even trying.

Yeah, I’m stupid like that.

The Army guys who brought the wall to the event got me all set up in my harness and let us go. That was all fine, except I didn’t hear them say it was time to go and my friend got a good head start.

I pretty much knew I had no chance of winning our supposed race then. I didn’t have much chance if we had started at the same time, actually.

Part of me figured I could climb part of the way, then rappel down. I focused in on that goal when my friend rang the buzzer at the top of his side of the wall.

Then, something kicked in. They all made it to the top. I had to at least do that even though I really didn’t want to.

So I made an extra effort and reached my buzzer. Barely. The others pressed it down for a while, but I got just high enough to tap it before I made my way down to the bottom.

They can’t make fun of me now. In fact, I can make fun of them because I was the only one who climbed in dress pants, dress shoes and a tie.

Although they’ll find a way to tease me for that I’m sure. Sometimes, you just can’t win.