I started climbing almost a year ago, recently transitioning to outdoor rock climbing a few months ago. During the course of this new lifestyle, I’ve experienced a variety of emotions arise while hanging several feet off the wall, with only a rope and the person below holding the rope that keep me from falling to my death. Fear is the most prominent emotion that comes to mind, although I can say I have experienced an equal amount of frustration and pride. Working through these emotions have made me think about how climbing is an analogy of life. Here are just a few things I’ve learned.
Climbing isn’t just about strength and brawn to get you up that rock. There is a certain amount of problem solving involved to get you to the top. There were times I’ve thought I could move speedily up a wall. Halfway up I found myself stuck, frustrated with myself for not thinking through the route beforehand. When you are faced with a dilemma in life, learn to slow down and think about the consequences of each choice you have. Informed decisions often times yield better results.
Climbers require a tremendous amount of trust in the belayer (the person who is holding onto your rope while you’re on the rock). There are serious consequences if you put your trust in someone who isn’t paying attention to the task at hand. In life, it’s important to surround yourself with good, trustworthy people to help motivate you when the going gets tough. A less than trustworthy person taking part in important decisions in your life does not have your best interest in mind and may even hurt you in the end.
Having faith in my own abilities is an important lesson I’ve learned in climbing. Sometimes on the wall, there are big moves that require a certain amount of athleticism and skill. When faced with this challenge, the first thought that comes to mind is “I can’t do this.” My next few actions are pause, say a few words of encouragement to myself, take a deep breath and go for it. Sometimes in life there are big decisions that require a leap of faith. Dig deep and have faith in your abilities to reach for what you want. If you take that leap of faith and you fall, remember that you have a strong support system of trustworthy people who are there to catch you and lift you up again. Learn from your mistakes and make a more informed decision the next time around. Continue to have faith in yourself because the next time around you are doing something different. The path can be scary, but use these life lessons to help you persevere. What an amazing feeling once you’ve accomplished your goals! The reward is that much sweeter because you’ve fought through the self-doubt, fear, and mistakes.