I use to have everything under control. It is almost an obsession and it is an issues I am trying to overcome. As I wrote in the previous post about Surrender to the rock, release control is about have faith and not being attached to a specific outcome. Allow things to happen.
In this post I propose an easy exercise that can be used for experience the uncertainty, the release of the control in a safe environment.
Fear of the unknown
As every fear, fear of the unknown is a human basic response tied to your survival instinct. It is made for preventing you of taking unnecessary risks or act in an impulsive way. It is natural and healthy. But there is a point where it is tied to lack of confidence in yourself and may lead to an inaction pattern. You may need to have all the information before make any move. But this is not always possible.
Sometimes we just have to deal with unexpected situations in absence of sufficient information. It is a fact and it can’t be avoided. You may have some experience with plans that went wrong. Most of the plans fail and you find yourself in an unexpected situation. That’s why your capacity for dealing with the unknown is a good skill to develop.
The climbing exercise for experience the unknown.
It is simple. Just go and climb a wall without previous information about it (sport climbing if possible). Not even the grade of difficulty. Does it sound dangerous? It is. But what if a friend or climbing partner picks your project for you? They will know what is safe for you but they are not telling which grade it is or where is the crux or anything at all. You will have to climb the route onsight without any previous information.
It is an interesting mind game. You don’t know what are you going to find, but you have to be optimistic, and, of course, ready to fail. Without the set of expectations that comes with your previous experience in a specific grade, by not knowing it, the wall become a continuous surprise, you never know if the next step/sequence it is going to be easier or harder.
Yes, if you are experienced enough you might be able to read the wall before you get to the point, but it always can surprise you. You won’t know anything for sure and you will have to maintain wide open your “climbing sense”.
Then, rather you made it or not, share your experience with your partner. Talk about how difficult you think it was, which grade would you give to it and compare your perceptions with the reality (or the other people’s reality). You will see if your mind made it easier or harder for you. You will see if your mind is building things up and making it more difficult for you when dealing with the unknown. Or, in the other hand, you may discover you were able to easily climb a route that you would have never tried at all if knowing the grade.
It is important to play it safe, but sometimes you will find yourself doing things you never thought possible for you. Kind of “I did it because I didn’t know it was impossible.” It is good to have a guide, a plan. But also explore and allow things to happen. Don’t be limited by other people, your beliefs or your past self.