What If Icarus Had Flown Too Low?

Changing your perception of risk… 

Echoes Of The Past

In Greek mythology, there is a vast web of interconnected stories that links characters, gods, events, and family lines together. 

Many of the myths serve as prequels or sequels to others, explaining the origins and consequences of major events like the Trojan War or the relationships between gods and mortals. 

A number of the stories continue to hold relevance today, and elements from them have made their way into our modern language in the form of idioms that contain warnings or advice. 

One of them is the idiom ‘don’t fly too close to the sun’ from the myth of Icarus, which essentially means to avoid recklessly defying one's limits and overreaching oneself; becoming overly ambitious or greedy; or reaching for something unattainable or unachievable. 

But there’s more to the story, so let’s take a closer look at this particular myth: 

The Fall Of Icarus

Icarus was the son of Daedalus, who was a master craftsman. 

After a series of events (see: Perdix & Athena → Minos & Poseidon → Cretan Bull & Pasiphaë →  Minotaur & Labyrinth → Theseus & Ariadne), both father and son were imprisoned by King Minos on the island of Crete. 

To escape from the prison, Daedalus fashioned wings for the two of them using (among other things) molted feathers and beeswax. 

Before embarking on their escape across the sea, Daedalus warned Icarus not to fly too low – or the seaspray would soak the feathers and ruin the lift in his wings. And likewise, not to fly too close to the sun – or the heat would melt the wax that was holding the wings together. 

Exhilarated by achieving flight, Icarus famously didn’t follow his father’s advice and flew too close to the sun. The wax melted off of his wings and they fell apart, causing Icarus to plummet into the sea and drown. 

Jacob Peter Gowy's ‘The Fall of Icarus’ (1635–1637). 

And that is how the story is remembered. Icarus flew too high – and his reckless defiance and overambition caused him to pay the ultimate price. 

However, let’s not forget that his father also warned Icarus not to fly too low. 

Soaking his wings and crashing into the middle of the sea would ultimately have led Icarus to the same fate. He would still have drowned, miles and miles away from any land. 

Which, using the same analogy, means that playing it far too safe might be equally harmful. In fact, flying too low could even be more dangerous than flying too high, because it feels deceptively safe. 

Taking no risk can actually be risky. Even if you fly so low that you survive the fall into the sea, you’ll still be too far away from land. You need to take to the air to make it across. 

By not stretching your wings and soaring properly through the skies, you’ll both lose out on experiencing the thrill of flight and fall short of your goal. 

And so, some risk is necessary to reach your potential. Sure, flying too high may end in a spectacular failure, and it’s fair to warn against that. But fly too low, and you’ll inevitably crash and burn in mediocrity. 

Maybe we need to adopt an additional idiom from the myth of Icarus: 

Don’t Fly Too Close To The Sea

Playing things too safe almost guarantees a poor or dull outcome, and a wasted opportunity. 

– That’s probably even a universal truth:  

• The most boring sports games are those where a team is just running out the clock. The victory that the team secures becomes less deserved because of it. 

• When travelling abroad and visiting a different culture, eating only at McDonald’s might be a safe option, but it would rob you of exploring new flavours, textures, and human connections. 

• When setting aside money for the future, placing it in a standard savings account or government bonds is very low-risk but offers minimal returns, often barely keeping pace with inflation. 

• Continuing in a low-stress, unchallenging position might provide a predictable income and job security. However, you'll lose out on the opportunity for career advancement, higher pay, or personal growth that could come with taking on more demanding roles or starting your own business. 

• Living a highly structured and predictable daily life can minimise surprises and anxiety. The consequence, though, may be a monotonous existence that lacks new experiences and unexpected joys.

• Not facing uncomfortable discussions can lead to stable but stagnant relationships. The lack of risk-taking prevents a genuine connection and the resolution of underlying issues, which in turn can lead to superficial or emotionally distant bonds.

And there are many, many more examples where the same applies. It’s definitely true when it comes to creative endeavours, because meaningful art involves creative risk-taking. 

Just look at something as fundamental as brainstorming: the first few ideas are probably going to be a bit dull – so you have to keep going. Don’t settle for mediocrity when greater ideas often can be found just around the corner of effort. 

The first plan, the first design, the first model, the first render, the first look – the first version(s) of anything – they’re just stepping stones to your destination. 

One of the reasons that Pixar movies have been so hugely successful, is because the team iterates on and refines the story hundreds of times until it truly works, and then goes on to animate the movie: 

That means, hundreds of versions were rejected to get to that point. 

However, that doesn’t mean those versions were a waste of time to make. On the contrary, they all played a part in honing in on the final one. Even outlandish versions might have sparked a new idea, or served as a clear marker of a direction not to head in – of what doesn’t work. 

And so, rejection in this context isn’t the end, or even some big, scary thing: 

Stop Fearing Rejection

Rejection is a part of the creative process – it just means you’re currently on a stepping stone and haven’t reached your destination yet. 

It shouldn’t stop you from embracing (at least some) risk and from avoiding the deception of playing it safe. 

And, importantly, remember to not take rejection personally. When you receive client or supervisor notes, think of them as ‘us against the problem’, and not in any way directed at your level of skill or taste. Try to read them objectively.

They're about course correcting and guiding your work to shore. – About finding the right cruising altitude for your Icarus to make it across the sea. 

A part of that means pushing boundaries to avoid a dull creation. And when you take more risks, you open yourself up to more rejection. However, ultimately, both you and your work will benefit from it. 

So, don’t always take the easy or safe route. Chances are you won't find any safety that way, anyway. Because by not taking any risks, you may be risking everything.

Don’t fly too close to the sea.

I hope you found this article useful. For more like this, see Advice.