Rock Climbing Teaches You Some of Life’s Greatest Lessons

Life’s Greatest Lessons Learned from Rock Climbing According to the 8bplus Critters

Rock climbing pushes you to the edge, tests your abilities, and teaches you some of life’s greatest lessons. Here are a few things you might learn…

There are few activities as mentally and physically straining as rock climbing. In fact, it’s so physically demanding on the body that people often use it as a workout routine as opposed to lifting weights or other more traditional workouts.

But, the benefits aren’t confined to a muscular back and bulging biceps. Rock climbing can teach you some of life’s greatest lessons take it from these guys.

Let’s take a look at five that you can learn.

Freedom

Marley, who is very laid back and easygoing, knows exactly why climbing gives you freedom.

When you’re climbing, you have no other worries. You don’t worry about your job, and you’re not worried about the stresses of life. You’re only worried about yourself, your partner, and the journey ahead of you.

This level of freedom is something few other activities can teach you.

Whether you like it or not, you won’t have the time or energy to concern yourself with anything else.

“For me climbing solo is out of this world, but take my climbing friends and I feel like I am on top of the world.” ~Marley

Trust

Loyal and sweet, Floyd knows trust is crucial. You need to trust your partners like you expect them to trust you so that you can help each other reach your climbing goals. This is why Floyd might be the most trustworthy chalk bag buddy you will ever need.

However, trust applies not only to the partners you may be climbing with but also yourself.

If you don’t trust yourself to complete the task, you will only add another obstacle in your way. Rock climbing demands that you put in 100% of your faith into your own abilities.

“Hello, my name is Floyd. I like rocks… and the flowers that grow between them.” ~Floyd

Self-Motivation

No one is probably as self-motivated as Pam. She’s very determined and is a beast. Pam knows that out of life’s greatest lessons, this is one of the most valuable. Self-motivation is similar to trust in that you are responsible for handling your own actions.

But there is something that sets the two apart. While trusting in your own ability to succeed is important, it won’t get you very far without motivation.

When you’re climbing alone, the drive to move forward and finish the climb can only come from within yourself. Thus, you will learn ways to push yourself when there’s nobody else around, and you can take this lesson with you everywhere.

“Hoi! It’s me, Pam, and chances are you have already seen me doing dynos from rock to rock.” ~Pam

Overcoming Fear

Daring and confident Kiki is not scared of anything. She has hard climbs down pat by facing them pluckily and practicing repeatedly. Fear is often the most powerful force that prevents us from completing a task. Sometimes, the level of fear is so great that we won’t even try to attempt it in the first place.

For most, they are absolutely terrified during the first real climb that puts them hundreds of feet above the ground. This fear can cause some people to bail early and not finish the route. But you’ll see after you reach the chains that your fear was disproportionate to the climb itself. Over time, climbs that once seemed impossible will be something you do on a casual day. You’ll then understand that fear should never hold you back from doing something in your life.

“I’ve trained my falls and finally overcame my fear, which makes me climb harder and better than I would have ever imagined.” ~Kiki

Focus

Freddy’s focus can be so intense that his friends sometimes think he can be distant. But he knows this kind of extreme concentration is what you need to conquer complicated routes.

Climbing takes a strong level of focus, especially during climbs with a high difficulty rating or with unique features that challenge your individual abilities. Fatigue, the elements, and the long road ahead can all be discouraging.

But, you’ll learn to focus on one move at a time as you send all the 5-star routes in the guidebook. The ability to drown out the world around you and persevere comes with practice.

“I am intensely focused. Got in that state of mind to work out the crux moves in my head first. I think I got it… It’s gotta work like that… it just has to!” ~Freddy

Life’s Greatest Lessons Apply Everywhere

Just as sports teach you how to stay disciplined and hold yourself accountable, rock climbing teaches you skills that will benefit you in nearly every other aspect of your life.

By developing these five values, you’ll be that much closer to becoming the best version of yourself.

Want to learn more about how important rock climbing can be? Check out our story.