How Rock Climbing Changed My Perspective on Business

A year ago, I started climbing.

My good friend Dan suggested we take a couple of lessons since our kids, who are also good friends, really enjoyed it. We figured it would be something fun we could all do together (minus our respective spouses since neither had any interest in joining).

Fast forward 12 months: the kids have long lost interest, but Dan and I are still at it. Two to three times a week, we meet up at a nearby gym and climb our stress and worries away.

I love it. Mainly because climbing is so similar to how I approach business.

Here are the 5 clear parallels I draw between climbing and business:

Goal-Oriented

In business, I’m driven by results and am often laser-focus on reaching the goals that I’ve set out to achieve. In climbing, the ultimate goal is reaching the top. You keep trying and persevering until you meet your goal. Then, you celebrate and move on to the next goal. 

Strategy and Problem Solving

My favourite part in business is strategizing, problem solving and figuring out how to crush our goals (have I mentioned that I’m results-driven?). In climbing, you need to carefully plan your route by considering which holds to grab and the sequence of moves to reach the top efficiently. You also need to problem-solve on the fly and adapt your strategy mid-climb when the initial plan doesn’t work out as expected. 

Persistence and Resilience

Not reaching your goal on the first try can be very humbling, in climbing and in business. In both cases you have to persevere through the difficult parts and keep trying even after failing. You can’t be successful all the time (I have many scars to prove it…from climbing and business) but learning what doesn’t work and persevering is part of the process.

Teamwork

I lead climb, which means that I rely on my partner Dan to belay me. I literally cannot do it without him. Quite often, my life is actually in his hands. This requires a lot of trust and a lot of communication… just like in business! As a fractional CMO I get to collaborate with amazing individuals who collectively make sure the project we are delivering thrives. 

Letting Go

Ooooh. This is a big one! 

The first time I reached the top of the wall, I refused to let go and be lowered down. Logically, I knew that the rope was solid, that my partner was well trained and wouldn’t drop me and that the chances of me plunging to my death were very slim. But the fear that SOMETHING could go wrong paralyzed me.

The same fear that prevented me from jumping both feet into starting my own consultancy.

I did, eventually, let go of the wall. It took 20 mins, 5 staffers, my kid, Dan’s kid, and other random climbers cheering me on and reassuring me that I was safe and that I would be OK. They were right. It really wasn’t so bad. The fear was mostly in my head. 

Today I’m taking 10-15’ drops, on purpose, just to practice falling. That moment right before I let go is still scary AF. But I power through, because I know that that instant of fear represents a fraction of all the other amazing emotions I feel throughout the rest of the climb. 

I’ve obviously also let go of the fear that has prevented me from becoming a solopreneur. A decision that I am thrilled about. I’m still quite careful in business, diligently assessing all risk before taking a leap, but I have ventured outside of my professional comfort zone on a regular basis since and I whole heartedly recommend it.

Climbing. Who knew it could lead to a professional breakthrough?

*Dan is also a supremely talented drummer. Check out his band, the WellingTones.