I think that we each have a self that we want the world to see, and a self that we'd rather not put on display. In today's world, our public self can be carefully shaped via hours of social media manipulation. As birds-of-paradise, we may ponder deep issues like the the pros and cons of a pouty-face vs duck-face selfie. And we may take that "spontaneous" selfie so many times that the picture we finally post hardly appears like the person we see in the mirror.
When ducks take selfies, do they make people-face?
In real life, we sometimes inadvertently show our true nature. This can happen while driving, while shopping on Black Friday, or in between takes of Winnebago sales videos. This also happens while climbing.
Climbing is a scary sport with some real and many perceived consequences, so we can't help but expose our souls on the wall. Some examples that I've witnessed:
- When faced with a big move, those that are hesitant in life tend to stop and think too much. This usually leads to a growing pump and a cry of "take!" without any real attempt at the move.
- Some climbers blaze forward without enough hesitation to process the best course of action. This can lead to entertaining but not-so-stylish swinging, spinning, banging-against-the-wall type falls.
- When climbing for the first time, some make it half-way up the wall and declare, "I'm done, let me down," while others are determined to finish, pulling on anything they can get their hands on until they've made it to the top
These varying responses to challenge and stress are bigger than climbing -- they tell us who we are. And each situation can teach us a lesson in real life.
- Fear of consequences can paralyze us and keep us from succeeding.
- Lack of planning and thoughtfulness can make us look silly.
- Determination goes a long way.
Guns out tongues out
Our climbing is a reflection of our true selves, not just the self that we want to show to others. If a hesitant climber becomes more confident, or a wild climber learns to reign in their emotions, they've made strides in more than just climbing -- they've learned about themselves and about life. And there's no faking it... no pouty-face that will get a climber to the top. These changes have to be real.
What makes our sport so beautiful is that when we become better climbers, we also become better people.