How to Stay Motivated
- June 2010
- Hi Steph Simple Living Climb
I just want to comment on your web page. I bookmarked it and will be checking back for advice and other questions that I have. I remember reading about you in climbing magazine back in 2003? or 2004? When you climbed El Cap ( I believe that was it. I’d have to pull out my collection and check to be sure ) Very inspiring, for when I just started climbing.
Maybe you could also give me some advice on staying motivated, it seems to be my only trouble. I’ve been climbing for 7 years on and off. I’ve been told to join comps. but I have no desire to compete. To me climbing is about me and the rock that is all.
Anyway hope to hear from you soon
Thanks
Zack
Dear Zack,
Thanks for writing to me! I feel the same way about climbing. I just love it and it is part of my life. I think the thing that has kept me so in love with climbing for all this time has been my willingness to follow it, in whatever way lights me up. Instead of expecting climbing to follow me, I follow it, in the same way we have to submit to what nature gives us. This seems totally obvious, but nowadays in the unnatural modern world, many humans are in the habit of expecting to control our surroundings, which is kind of backwards and makes things feel conflicted and loaded with strange pressures rather than just being as simple as they are. If you love climbing, just climb, and love it. If it’s not what you want to be doing for a time, do something else. That’s okay, you will climb later. It’s not complicated 🙂
Sometimes I’ve wanted to aid climb, sometimes free solo, sometimes go sport climbing with friends, sometimes boulder, sometimes ice climb, sometimes a big project route, sometimes easy things, sometimes just weight train for climbing, sometimes a thing that is not even climbing, like hiking, base jumping, taking pictures, writing, gardening or something totally separate. Whatever it is drawing me, or what seems to be the flow, I just do that, no matter what else is going on around me, because to me it’s all part of loving climbing. Enjoy every second of it while you are doing it. If I am passionate about something, effort is not work. If I am doing something that I don’t feel committed to, even the smallest things seem like a burden. For example, if I’m trail running, hours just slip by. If I’m running on pavement, a quarter mile seems like an eternity and I don’t see how I can possibly endure for another 60 seconds 🙂 This is exactly how everything is.
Do what you love and just let your relationship with climbing be free as it grows.
Steph
Thats great advice Steph. I was a reasonable climber when I was younger but always struggled with my weight. As I got older I found it hard to maintain/improve my performance as family and work made it hard to train as much. I became frustrated and all but stopped. It took me several years to remember why I climbed in the first place – its just great fun and not a grade chase! I live in the uk near the England/Scotland border and I’m surrounded by beautiful countryside. Now the only thing I worry about is getting out there and enjoying it. It doesn’t matter that I’m probably never going to climb Old Friends at Stanage, there’s so much else to do thats just as good but a bit easier.
Thanks for the recipes.
Nick