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Where do I start? Okay, I just saw Spiderman. I don't know about you, but Spidey was my
hero growing up and seeing that movie gave me quite a bit to think about. Now don't worry, I
won't give anything away (spiderman save's the day!), but I realized some things during that
film.
1. I want to be spiderman.
2. I will never be spiderman, even if I Try my Hardest.
3. I need to come to terms with this addiction.
Ya see, many of us want to be spiderman and are constantly being let down by our inability
to live up to our desired self-image. This is problematic. This is why we often get frustrated
about not sending or whatever. More important than sending is being happy. Maybe this is
not true, but it seems like a valuable asumption due to the fact that happiness feels better
than frustration does.
How can this help my climbing? You may be asking? Well, I'm not sure. But it may be
something to think about... Imagine if climbing was rewarding no matter what you did or did
not do. And also keep in mind that climbing can be seen as an analogy for life in general. You
can take what you learn on the stone home with you everyday.
Everyone always seems to be curious about what others have "done." How many times
have people asked you directly (or in that sneaky indirect way) what you sent or how well
you did. After the PBC I counted 28 people (serious count) who asked me that in the ensuing
week. I always answered with this question: "Ya mean, how did I do overall, compared to
others, or how did I do for myself?" Since I thought I did great, it was my natural course to
say so, yet I wasn't sure what everyone meant (I'm sure everyone meant "did you do well
[the way I define doig well?]")... Did you see that? 1,2,3,4 symbols, and then an elipse!
Anyway, people are curious. It's not bad or good. It's habit. All people make the news for
doing something really well or really poorly, etc. When was the last time you watched Sports
Center (if ever) and saw this scenario play out: "In the game against the Pacers, Dexter
Lightfoot didn't do anything remarkable scoring an average amount of points for a player in
his position, but he said it was the best and most enjoyable game of his life! Bob will be
getting us a detailed interview shortly!"
Anyway, people love to talk, nothing that incredible ever happens in life, but the most
incredible things happen, too. That is to say, perception changes everything. For example,
lots of people think Realization is quite the accomplishment. Is it really though? Lots of
people project really personally hard routes and take as long or longer than Chris did to
complete them. We're mesmerized, however, by someone gifted doing that at the "highest"
level of human performance. Well, yeah, it's cool, but if everyone in the world climbed, Chris
and those guys would be a whole level behind someone else who would be a level behind
someone else. We seem to respect the "best" cats partially because we can't be them. Chris
can't even be spiderman... Spiderman can do V20 for warming up! (I saw him do a phat
twenty foot dyno!).
So things don't change easily. The way you think, the way I think... We don't have very true
perspective in the grand scheme of things. Ego is something that climbing enables us to deal
with constantly. There is always someone stronger (which we often equate to "better" as in
"Lisa Rands is the shiznit! She's a better climber than me!") Even Dave has Chris to look to as
a stronger plastic climber (fact taken from actual events) and Dave seems to be quite the
little crimper out on the stone. It'd be cool to step away from ego and be able to say the way
things are without feelings of "but I wish I were stronger or better somehow."
So here's one of our greatest boulder problems, and one of the reasons we are so lucky to
have happened upon climbing: Try to tell everyone exactly how your day went, without
excuses, without fear, without shame... "yeah, I couldn't send my project at all today, In fact I
fell of these easy problems and got spanked all day! I had fun trying though." No excuses, no
b.s.
I was pretty horrified at the PBC when the anouncer had the gaul to boo Chris (the crowd did
too) and ask him: "I think Pheonix wants to know, what the hell?" when he didn't dyno well at
the dyno comp. Poor Chris, imagine the shit that guy has to put up with. Everyone loves him
and respects him and nobody knows him. They know about him, but they are placing respect
on his accomplishments, not his person, his heart, etc.
Maybe the next time you get frustrated, bummed about how weak you are, or just plain old
make an excuse, catch yourself and try to boulder out your feelings. You might get some life
beta that will increase your net happiness, and make the less important problems a whole lot
funner.
As usual, though, I don't really know. Just some thoughts, ehh!?
noah signing out.
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