Climbing Motivation

You're sitting at home reading books, watching videos or following social media and you're inspired. You maybe say to yourself that you’d like to do something…..it could be to climb a summit or increase the grade that you're bouldering, but how do you get to that end point? The next morning you wake up, and the day plays out like most other days until you activate something ‘inside’.

Firstly, you need a vision. A vison which both emotionally excites you, and is inspiring. If there are strong reasons which underpin your vision, then those reasons will pull you through some of the harder times of training and staying motivated

You also need to feel progress.

Progress emotionally stimulates us, making us happier and in turn we will work harder to make our vision become more attainable and real.

The standards you live your life by become your identity, and your identity is what shapes you and defines who you are. But what defines your standards?

Daily, weekly and monthly rituals define your standards.

If you want to raise your standard then you need to focus on the rituals in your life. (Rituals - a series of actions or types of behaviour regularly followed). You won’t just start climbing a grade harder overnight, that just doesn’t happen. You need to pursue better performance by focusing on your rituals, which in turn will raise your standards. And you need self-discipline to commit to those daily, weekly and monthly rituals.

So, you need an inspiring vision, which emotionally excites you, which then puts in place rituals which will affect lasting change. You’ll get progress, feel happier and this in turn will define who you are, shape your identity and raise your standard.

If you absorb yourself in your vision and the rituals that raise your standards, then the community of people that you slowly begin to create around you and the environment that you then become part of or grow a stronger bond with, will automatically help you to create momentum for change.

If you’re inspired and have a vision which you are emotionally attached to, then you’ll absorb yourself in the daily, weekly and monthly rituals which will help you gain success.

Ask yourself –

What’s an important area in my climbing that I want to change? Be truthful and ask yourself ‘what’s my climbing like in that area’?

What are the rituals over time that have put me there?

Then ask yourself –

What’s my vision?

What rituals do I need to adopt so that I progress towards my vision? Think of those rituals and ask yourself ‘what do I need to do differently?’

A personal example -

I know, that when I think I should be doing something I generally don’t put 100% into it, or commit to it long term, e.g. I should be getting stronger for climbing.

But, if I have a trip coming up with a mate and I know that he is training for the trip then that ‘should’ becomes a must and I give it 110%

I know that once it’s a must, I change my daily rituals and over a short time I start to see progress, that inspires me and keeps me motivated. I also go out more regularly climbing and hang out with other climbers, talking, climbing, living and breathing climbing, which in turn inspires and I increase my standard

That standard is how I’m living my life which becomes my identity, and my identity is what shapes and defines who I am.

If you don’t have a vision or ‘musts’, then you lack any rituals and do not access that environment, which helps momentum and motivation longer term. You lack progress, you don’t increase your standard…and you stand still.

You can’t move forward, by standing in the same place!

Remember that ‘will power’ doesn’t last and rituals will last a lifetime.

Have a vision, small rituals will develop momentum and then progress, which will create the environment for change and increase your standard.

So how do I start today?

Even stuck at home through this global pandemic, I’m inspired by the vision of getting stronger for climbing.

I’m reading more about climbing and planning routes that I want to climb.

I’m accessing training plans on-line, and working out what’s the right plan for me over the coming weeks and months.

I’ve been watching a number of different training videos on-line to work out some daily routines that I can do here at home.

I’ve been creative with the space I have here at home, so that I can put into place some daily rituals of fitness and strength training exercises.

I’ve also been thinking about my diet, and what rituals with regards eating habits I can put in place, that will also over time help me raise my standards.

The more outside you can exercise, whether that’s going for a run, a bike ride, or even just time in the garden, then the fresh air makes the world of difference.

Chatting to family and friends on the phone or on social media channels really help you stay connected, and for me personally one word of positive encouragement massively inspires and helps motivate me.

I do feel that I’m part of a collective group of people all training at home, and with a specific interested in getting fitter and stronger for climbing.

The more I immerse myself into that vision, then that feeling and connection of being part of a climbing community that are all getting stronger for climbing will only grow stronger and become more motivating – especially when we’re all free to roam more freely again!

I hope that helps a little…..

Start today!

Adrian