A gentle rant: You don't know if you can do it unless you give it a full effort try.

I hear this all the time: "I know I can do it. It's just that _______."

To that I say: bullshit. If you can do it, prove it by doing it. Talk is cheap. What the excuse is, literally doesn't matter. There's not an excuse that makes this anything other that posturing. I've been on climbs that I thought I would get in a few minutes, that took me months to get. Don't do this to yourself. Believing you can do something you can't do, prevents you from working on it and gaining real ability. Ego will hold you back.

I also hear this: "I can't do it!"

Again: bullshit. This is a little less annoying because it's not as much an ego thing, but it's not any more rational. Did you try it? Did you really try it? I've been on onsights where I've felt the holds, believed in my deepest heart that there was no way I could pull the moves... and then immediately pulled the moves. Believing you can't do something you can do, prevents you from trying it and seeing that you actually can do it. Fear will hold you back.

You don't know what you can do until you really push yourself all the way to the limit of your abilities, and either do it, or don't. Climbing gives us the opportunity to find out what we're really able to do, and what we're really not able to do.

Stop saying you can or can't do things. Not because I say so: do it for yourself. Get right sized about your abilities. Anything else is holding you back.

EDIT: Yes, obviously sometimes backing down is the right choice. I never said otherwise. But if you back down, you don't get to say "I can do that, I just didn't want to risk it", because you don't know if you can do it. And likewise, you don't get to say, "I can't do that, it's too scary", because you don't know if you can do it. The truth is, you don't know if you can do it, because you didn't try. It's sometimes wise not to try, but that doesn't mean you have to make up a story about it.

Knowing when to bail takes more strength than giving it your all.

Sometimes giving up is good. I rather bail and climb another route than risk breaking my ankles. Idk. 

Ya know I just can't take your advice

David Kwrote:

Believing you can do something you can't do, prevents you from working on it and gaining real ability. Ego will hold you back.

Believing you can't do something you can do, prevents you from trying it and seeing that you actually can do it. Fear will hold you back.

I am so confused

Thanks I will keep starting threads, eventually one will be loved by all!!!

David Kwrote:

I hear this all the time: "I know I can do it. It's just that _______."

To that I say: bullshit. If you can do it, prove it by doing it. Talk is cheap. What the excuse is, literally doesn't matter. There's not an excuse that makes this anything other that posturing. I've been on climbs that I thought I would get in a few minutes, that took me months to get. Don't do this to yourself. Believing you can do something you can't do, prevents you from working on it and gaining real ability. Ego will hold you back.

I also hear this: "I can't do it!"

Again: bullshit. This is a little less annoying because it's not as much an ego thing, but it's not any more rational. Did you try it? Did you really try it? I've been on onsights where I've felt the holds, believed in my deepest hear that there was no way I could pull the moves... and then immediately pulled the moves. Believing you can't do something you can do, prevents you from trying it and seeing that you actually can do it. Fear will hold you back.

You don't know what you can do until you really push yourself all the way to the limit of your abilities, and either do it, or don't. Climbing gives us the opportunity to find out what we're really able to do, and what we're really not able to do.

Stop saying you can or can't do things. Not because I say so: do it for yourself. Get right sized about your abilities. Anything else is holding you back.

Guess you don't project stuff much? This doesn't even make sense, except if you only believe in taking one, all out effort, shot at something, then dropping it.

Now, if you want to gently rant to people to believe in themselves, okay. 

I also wonder how impatient (ironic, since this post is ostensibly supportive) you are as a partner. The right partner makes a world of difference.

And, maybe you aren't old enough to be beat up yet? Many of us could do stuff...but choose not to, so we can continue climbing. What I choose to do in the gym is different than outside. Outside, choosing to follow (or top rope) is usually the better choice for me, even if it's a route I "could" lead.

Ditto on a whole long list of stuff, including approaches.

Even all that, does not mean I am not pushing the limits.

By my standards, I'm plenty badass.

You don't like it? That's your problem and totally irrelevant to my choices, which are, after all, mine, eh?

Best, Helen

it's difficult for some people to choose to be happy but ya just gotta do it!

Here it is folks, the cure for depression!

My daughter spoke in her sleep one night, around 4 years old, with emotion:

“That’s impossible! But I can do it!“

That was all she said

What about when you give all the try hard and still punt.
why haven’t you sent the first 15c in America? 

I wish it were limiting beliefs holding me back instead of a dilapidated body.  

Kevin Worrallwrote:

My daughter spoke in her sleep one night, around 4 years old, with emotion:

“That’s impossible! But I can do it!“

That was all she said

I hope you remind her of this, and keep it reinforced over the years!

David Kwrote:

I hear this all the time: "I know I can do it. It's just that _______."

To that I say: bullshit. If you can do it, prove it by doing it. Talk is cheap. What the excuse is, literally doesn't matter. There's not an excuse that makes this anything other that posturing. I've been on climbs that I thought I would get in a few minutes, that took me months to get. Don't do this to yourself. Believing you can do something you can't do, prevents you from working on it and gaining real ability. Ego will hold you back.

I also hear this: "I can't do it!"

Again: bullshit. This is a little less annoying because it's not as much an ego thing, but it's not any more rational. Did you try it? Did you really try it? I've been on onsights where I've felt the holds, believed in my deepest hear that there was no way I could pull the moves... and then immediately pulled the moves. Believing you can't do something you can do, prevents you from trying it and seeing that you actually can do it. Fear will hold you back.

You don't know what you can do until you really push yourself all the way to the limit of your abilities, and either do it, or don't. Climbing gives us the opportunity to find out what we're really able to do, and what we're really not able to do.

Stop saying you can or can't do things. Not because I say so: do it for yourself. Get right sized about your abilities. Anything else is holding you back.

If you don't mind answering, what prompted you to post this rant?

She’s 16 now and attitude is pretty much the same, no need to remind her!

Seems like a good time to mention Flow State here, also because Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi just passed: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/27/science/mihaly-csikszentmihalyi-dead.html

Basically maximal performance is achieved when the challenge is neither too easy, nor too hard, right at the place where you can succeed, but only if everything comes together, for example if you access flow state.

It is more complicated than that certainly but if you are bored or on autopilot, or scared or stressed or distracted you won't access flow state and/or succeed at a challenge that is truly at your limit

You certainly can climb super hard without accessing flow state, and you can access flow state on something well below your limit, but generally speaking if you think about the most transcendent climbing experiences you have had, you aren't thinking "I can do this" or "I can't do this" or whatever

Just my own mini-rant in response I guess...

Do or do not. There is no try. 

Robert P wrote:

You mean it's NOT my shoes?!?! 

Solutions or TCpros is what i need to know.

Robert P wrote:

You mean it's NOT my shoes?!?! 

Nope; it just wasn't sending weather.

Tradiban wrote:

Agreed. I especially hate the depression excuse, it's difficult for some people to choose to be happy but ya just gotta do it!

What a dumb thing to say. Obviously you have a very limited understanding of depression. No one chooses to be depressed. 

I like the sentiment of OP. I have some friends who say they've "plateued", but they also say "take" on toprope. I'm like bro if you're not climbing till you fall off you're not climbing your hardest. Just try the move and be surprised when you stick it! Just some thoughts.

Parachute Adamswrote:

What a dumb thing to say. Obviously you have a very limited understanding of depression. No one chooses to be depressed. 

 I'm a driver, I'm a winner, things are going to change, I can feel it!

As far as the OP goes I used to worry about the whole send-a-thon thing, then realized that life is way bigger than perfecting a recreational hobby. Just give me a smile(beer?) at the end of the day and definitely TAKE TAKE TAKE!!!

see if you still feel that way after you've had 2 major rotator cuff surgeries (5 tendons in total 100% torn and separated).  I could just dyno for it.  I know that's the intent.  I'd probably make it.  But if I just barely latch it and try and hold on by instinct..... It's not worth it for the pink route.  Or any route.