But what if your ladder is up against the right wall but you can't fuction well enough to climb it? Does that do you any good either?

From a high enough view, people look like ants and cars and houses look tiny too. It's only at the runway level that things take on their true size.

Roles and goals and all that get less real the higher you go. I agree you need to see the bigger picture, but give me the runway any day. It's more true to life, in my opinion.