Happy New Year! As December winds down it’s normal to contemplate the year past and the year to come. What went well? What were the challenges? How do you want to grow in 2022? What do you want to accomplish? Read Remy’s article in TrainingBeta for a step-by-step guide to setting your New Year’s climbing goals.

I often hear conflicting advice from climbing trainers and coaches. On the one hand: “You won’t feel great every day, but sometimes you have to get up and train anyway. That’s how you achieve greatness.” On the other hand, “Listen to your body.” What about those days when you feel exhausted but your training plan still says you should do a workout? How do you know when to go hard and when to take it easy? Here’s a simple rule that will transform your relationship to effort.

“Blake, you’re thinking fast.”

Those words, patiently stated by my climbing partner, brought me back to reality.

This moment was a turning point in my understanding of mindfulness and self-awareness. For years I was convinced I could not meditate, my brain too fast and loud. But this experience of overwhelming fear (during a relatively safe climb) shook me deeply.

Think about something meaningful you’ve accomplished in your life. It could be a professional success, an athletic win, or something in your personal life. On a scale of 1–10, how much effort did that accomplishment require? Were there times when it wasn’t “fun”? Were there times when you wanted to give up? I’m guessing your answer is “yes.”