Life Lessons Learned From Rock Climbing

Yes, after the last post, I realize I might sound a bit obsessive. However, in addition to the physical activity, rock climbing has been valuable to me because of the lessons I have been able to apply to my life. For instance:

1. When faced with a seemingly insurmountable challenge, focus on what's just in front of you, and take small steps. Especially when I go outdoor climbing, I am often overwhelmed by the height of the cliff face, and how sheer it is (it often feels totally vertical). However, if you take your time and examine the surface for small cracks here and there, and chalk marks left by other climbers, you can slowly pick your way up the rock, one small step at a time.

Often I feel this way about my work. I get so overwhelmed that I don't know where to start. It's good to sit back and figure out small steps you can take toward your goal.

2. Once you decide to make a move, don't hesitate; go for it! There have been many times, both in rock climbing and in life, where I have decided to take a step, but then hesitated, and either drawn back or faltered. In climbing, this often wastes energy. In life, you end up wasting time. Sometimes you have to go for it, even if there is a chance you might fail, because on the flip side, there is a chance you might succeed.

3. It's OK to fall. Obviously, you want to be careful (and safe). However, sometimes if you want to make it to the top, you have to be willing to take a risk. When you're climbing, you're usually either clipped in somewhere or someone's belaying you, so the distance you will fall is limited -- you won't (as I often irrationally fear) die. Similarly, when you're taking risks in your work or business, it may not go the way you want, but at least you'll learn something about how you should proceed the next time. What you don't hear about successful people is all the times they failed, but it takes a lot of falling to reach the summit.

4. Learn from others' mistakes and don't be afraid to ask for help. At the Gunks, the term "beta" is used for advice on how to go up a climb. Often, other people who have more experience than you (and are less terrified) can better see the best approach up a climb. Similarly, I like to read about other designers and even entrepreneurs in different fields to gain insight on how to succeed in the business.

5. Keep trying. I've been going climbing, mostly indoors, every week and although I have so much more to learn, it's also been great to see the progress I've made over the past couple of months. As I mentioned in the last post, there's nothing better than that feeling you get when you're able to finish a climb that you couldn't do a week or two earlier. There's no magic to success -- it's all about how hard you're willing to work.