The Truth Will Set You Free When Climbing

Famous playwright Oscar Wilde once said, "I love acting. It is so much more real than life." Hmm . . . clever quote but I'm not sure he was right. So many people live a lot of their lives and even climb their climbs without being very real about their abilities, limitations and uniquenesses. And in the long run, they get hurt by covering up who they really are and pretending they are something or someone they are not.

When I was more actively sport climbing, I would watch these young and more able climbers knocking off their 5.10's, 5.11's and harder. And at times I would be a little embarrassed to walk back to my easier routes knowing I wasn't as good as they were. I was secretly hoping they would think I was in the same category as they were.

But the truth of the matter was that I simply didn't have their youth or skills. The good news was that I didn't need to be like them. If you're a big-time climber you need not be asking yourself why you're not more like Ed Viesturs or Chris Sharma. But you should ask yourself why you're not more like you! God made you the way you are and all you can do is be the best you can be.

If you're climbing a personal mountain like cancer, don't long to be more like the relative or friend you know. Climb your own route at your own pace. If you're grieving, grieve your way. If you've lost a job, learn  from others in your search but blaze your own unique trail to find another one.

When it's all said and done, life is enriched by having all sorts of different people in your life and others will be better by having you around them, too. So accept who you are, where you are and how you got there. There may be some parts of your journey or climb you'd rather change but that's all in the past now.

Your weaknesses, mistakes and limits will actually help you learn to do better in the future and avoid upcoming pitfalls.

So climb on with courage and authenticity. You don't need to fake it. Admire and respect those who are ahead of you. Encourage those who may be behind. But whatever you do, be who you are!  You matter.