To preface this article, I want to say I’ve been wanting to write about rock climbing for a while. I started rock climbing this year, and fortunately I have a lot to say on the subject, but I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to say. I’m not expert on the art of rock climbing, but the things I decided on saying don’t require an expert opinion. I want to tell you some important lessons I learned through rock climbing that are applicable to other aspects of life.
See, before this year began I was absolutely terrified of heights. I decided to try rock climbing to conquer my fears. My first lesson was that my scheme to conquer my fear of heights with climbing hasn’t worked. There are things you can do to lessen your fears (such as climbing), but your fear will still always be there under the surface. You can get to a point where you’re comfortable with a certain aspects of your fear, but as soon as you try something new in climbing, the fear returns. If you truly want to rid yourself of one of your fears, then you need to patient with yourself because it will take a long time (especially if you’re afraid of heights).
Another lesson I learned was fear really can be your worst enemy, as so many people have told me throughout my life. Fear keeps you from leaping for the hold you know objectively you can reach if you would only let go of the one you’re desperately clinging to. Fear is what gets you stuck on a wall because you are too afraid to lean back and let go, so your belayer can lower you. Fear keeps you from climbing upside down. Don’t get me wrong – fear is a great life saver, but it also holds you back from being able to do what you want to do. It’s important to remember to trust in yourself and take that big leap every once in a while even if you’re terrified that you can’t make it.
My third lesson is that it’s OK to let go. There’s nothing wrong with ending things on your own terms if something isn’t working out. It’s better to admit defeat and let go, than let gravity pull you off the wall when you aren’t prepared. The landing will generally hurt less if you let go on your own volition, and nobody (or nobody but your friends) will make fun of you for it. You tried your best, but at the same time, it’s important to remember that after you let go, you need to get up and try again. Eventually, you will succeed if you want to complete your goal badly enough. And when you do finally meet your goal, you will be so much happier with yourself because of the hours of work you put into finishing that one route.
My fourth lesson (and last) is to remember to look at things from different angles. A problem that seems impossible at first is only impossible if you keep looking at it from the same angle. Try something new. Create your own answer. Look at it from a different prospective. Try different approaches. Get help, but at the same time remember every answer is correct as long as you reach the same conclusion, so if you cannot copy them, don’t sweat it. Figure it out on your own.
