what keeps me going

It's a sunny Saturday here in Beijing, and I have opted out of climbing at Baihe with my Chinese buddies.  I really wanted to go, but my body told me to take a break.  It has been a very exciting week at work and I haven't slept much at all.  The company that I am squatting at is having major restructuring, and every day is a new day here at Zisen. The closest thing I can compare it to is like watching the TV series 24.  What took an hour felt more like a whole day, all packed into one big episode.  I look forward to work everyday.

I slept in this morning and got up at around noon.  It felt great.  I didn't have any obligations today, no one to meet up with.  All I have to think about is what I want to eat.

When we were climbing at Baihe last week, I found out that both Gaga and Mantou are injured from climbing.  Both of them have become strong climbers over the course of a season outside, since they started as mountaineers and ice climbers before technical rock climbing.  They have climbed consistently every weekend possible.  They also climb at their limit, which is something I need to learn from them.  But one time, Gaga landed on the mat at the gym in the wrong angle and hurt her left knee.  Mantou also bouldered too hard two weeks ago at the gym and pulled one of his shoulder or arm muscles.  My instinct would be to rest and get well.  Or if I can't stop climbing, climb something REALLY REALLY easy.  Instead, they went out this weekend again.    Probably working on some hard climbs again.

They also feel like they have plateaued in their climbing level.  Coinciding with injuries, their motivation is dwindling, because they don't feeling like they are getting noticeably better.  Why is so and so sending those overhanging, slopey, 5.13 climbs and I am not???  Why don't I have a six-pack like those shirtless guys at the gym?  Why can she go up the cave so easily and I can't?  They asked me last week how I stay motivated to climb after so many years (starting in 2003!). 

If comparing yourself to others is your main motivation for climbing, then I don't think that the motivation will last long.  Unless you are like Chris Sharma or Adam Ondra, there will always be someone better than you.  It's the same in other aspects of life - your career, your relationships, your finance, etc.

Just the other day, one of my favorite bloggers posted a similar topic on his page.  It couldn't have been better timing.  Chris had just hosted his first ever conference/summit for all of his blog fans (team).  It wasn't profitable, and some marketing people had contacted him about how to make the event more profitable next time.  Here is an except from his post, which applies to pretty much anything in life:

The more important question is: what are we trying to do here? What’s the goal?
Here’s what I propose as a better standard: when you go to bed at night, are you extremely excited about what you’ve done that day and what’s coming up the next day? Do people tell you about all the awesome things they are doing, in part because of something you’ve created?

Are you making art, whether you think of yourself as an artist or not?

Whatever your dream is, are you living it?

If freedom is one of your highest values, are you experiencing enough freedom in your life?
These are some standards I prefer to use. These things are what matters. It’s not just about what works. Because sometimes, it can work… but that doesn’t mean it works.

What keeps me motivated in climbing

Sure, I love sending up hard problems and patting myself on the back.  Who doesn't like getting an ego boost once in a while?  But this is what keeps me going year after year: 

being up high somewhere 

with the ones you trust

feeling the texture of the rock

to look down and see the back of a flying bird

smell the dirt from the rope as it rubs through the belay device 

hearing the wind

licking your dry lips and wishing for more water

sharing a great meal with good friends

recapping on our experiences that day

really loving life

and everything that comes with it

I hope that you readers will find this post helpful as a boost for the day.  And that you will find passion in anything that you do, regardless of the obstacles that come across you.

Go be an artist.  
Become the baker that you always wanted to be.
Go run a food truck.

Own a climbing gym.
Go out there and make the change to get you excited about life.

Just remember, YOU are what keeps me excited about writing.