A few weeks ago, while guiding a trip at Table Rock NC, one of the ladies mentioned how she kept having to tell herself “Trust Your Feet!”, and that is what got her to continue to move forward. After the climb, she mentioned how that thought and concept really could have a good life lesson to it! I gave it some thought and wanted to share with you all some thoughts on how this climbing concept and experience translates into all of life.

She had climbing shoes, with “sticky-rubber” on her feet, which enabled her to stand on and obtain friction on rock and rock features that she wouldn’t have been able to use otherwise. But because she had specialized shoes for the task, she was able to accomplish her goals. I think we all have simliar experiences in life, but instead of convincing ourselves to move ahead, we give up, thinking that failure is imminent, due to fear of the unknown, and due to us doubting our abilities. Often, we have the tools we need to accomplish a task, but fear taking that next step.

Here’s an example:

It is your first month on the job, and you are given a new assignment at work to design a new product that would appeal to a key market in your location. You are given all the information you need….very detailed market research, an unlimited budget for developing the product, a team of people to help put your ideas into place, and books on what NOT to do when developing this product. Even though you have all the resources you need, you continue to have the thought of “But I can’t do this….I’m brand new. I have no idea how to develop a product. People won’t like it,” or whatever else your thoughts might be that cause you to doubt. So ultimately, the project is delayed.

So how does the trust your feet concept apply here? Well, in climbing, even though my client looked down on the cliff and saw the tiny holds, or featureless rock faces, she did not say “these holds are too small, I can’t move on,” but rather she said “Trust your feet.” She knew that even though it LOOKED impossible, it was NOT impossible because she had the right tools designed for that very purpose…to stand on small holds and featureless faces. She trusted her feet! AND she climbed to the top of the climb.

So here’s some key application points for you:

1. Ask yourself, “What areas in my life do I feel like I’ve hit a brick wall? Are there resources I have that I’m not taking advantage of? Are there people I should be trusting that I’m not trusting in right now?
2. Pick a project that you are working on right now. What is the main thing you dislike about it? Is it because it seems impossible? Do you see the Trust Your Feet concept coming into play here at all?
3. What are some of the things you fear in life? Are you simply not taking advantage of the proven tools around you to help you overcome that fear?