How skydiving changed the way I think about climbing training
I turned 30 yesterday, and I spent a good chunk of the day thinking about what that milestone actually means. A new decade, a fresh start, a chance to change some things. To mark it, I wanted to do something big, something I’d wanted to do since I was a kid: go skydiving. So I’ll ask you the same thing I kept asking myself that week, because it’s the real question behind this whole story. Are dedication and focus the only keys needed to reach your climbing goals, or is there more going on under the surface?
Jumping into my 30s from a plane felt symbolic. An exciting way to face what’s coming. But getting to that jump taught me something about dedication and focus that I keep coming back to when I think about my climbing.
The plan
In the weeks before my birthday, I booked the jump. My wife and my parents were coming along, so it turned into a family day out. I was pumped.
Then, four days before the jump, a nasty cold flattened me. I made it worse by reacting badly to congestion medicine and mixing coffee with Sudafed, which left me dizzy, nauseous, and unable to breathe through my nose.
My head was foggy and I had zero appetite. In that state, jumping out of a plane felt impossible, and the excitement for my birthday started to drain away.
But this jump mattered too much to let it go. I decided I was going to feel better and make the jump, both literally and in my head, into my new decade the way I’d pictured it.
The struggle
Three days out, I was tempted to call in sick to my remote job and spend the whole day resting.
But work was busy and I had extra stuff on my plate, so a full rest day wasn’t an option. I did what I could. Short naps between tasks, chicken noodle soup to keep my tank from hitting empty.
It wasn’t enough. I was still way too sick to imagine jumping out of a plane.
Two days out, the bad reaction to the meds finally cleared, but I was still congested and wiped. Normally this kind of thing hangs around for over a week for me, so I had no idea if I’d actually be ready in time.
Still, the goal was simple: do everything I could to recover before the jump.
So I slept when I could, ate food that would actually help, and got through my work. And I hoped the effort would pay off.
The dedication
The day before the jump, I felt a lot better. Still stuffed up and sleepy, but good enough to travel and stubborn enough to believe my birthday would go the way I’d planned.
On jump day, we were up early for our slot. I was tired, but I was locked in. Nothing was going to talk me out of it.
We went tandem, so all I had to do was throw my arms out and take in the view. Even so, it took more out of me than I expected.
After we landed I was exhausted and still congested, but I’d done the thing I set out to do.
Are dedication and focus the only keys needed to reach your climbing goals?
Looking back, it’s clear that dedication and focus were what got me through a rough week and into the sky. I put my recovery first, cut out the distractions, and kept my eyes on one thing: getting well enough to jump.
That’s the same drive I want in my climbing. But here’s where I have to be honest with myself, and where I think the simple answer breaks down. Wanting it badly and staying focused got me on the plane, sure. It didn’t teach me how to fall out of one safely. That was the tandem instructor, the training, the system strapped to my back. Dedication got me to the edge. Skill and structure got me down.
Climbing works the same way. Dedication and focus are the engine. They get you to the gym on the days you’d rather stay home, and they keep you on a problem long after your ego wants to walk away. But they’re not the whole thing. You also need good movement, a bit of a plan, honest feedback on what’s actually holding you back, and enough recovery that your fingers and tendons don’t fall apart. Pour all your intensity into bad habits and you’ll just get really good at climbing badly. I’d rather aim that same fire at the stuff that moves the needle.
If you want the mental side of this dialed in, mental training for climbing is where I’d start. And if focus is the easy part but showing up is the hard part, you’ll probably see yourself in how I’m making space for climbing when life seems chaotic.
Turning that drive into something you can actually train
Motivation is useless if you can’t point it somewhere. The climbers I see improve fastest aren’t the most fired up, they’re the ones who turn that fire into a habit and then track it. That’s why I’m a fan of a simple climbing journal, and why a real training planner beats vibes every time. When you can see progress on paper, the dedication takes care of itself.
If you want a low-effort way to keep that momentum going, I put out a free weekly email with one small climbing drill you can do in about 15 minutes. It’s the easiest way I know to stay consistent without overhauling your whole life. You can grab the free 15-minute training newsletter here and let the habit do the heavy lifting.
And when you’re ready to put that focus into structured practice, the Grip & Grind app is where I’d send you to actually train the movement.
The takeaway
So, are dedication and focus the only keys needed to reach your climbing goals? Not quite. They’re the ones that matter most, because nothing else works without them, but they open the door instead of finishing the job. The rest is skill, structure, recovery, and honest tracking.
Take a minute and ask yourself how badly you actually want your next goal. What are you willing to do to get there, without excuses? Whether it’s climbing, work, or something personal, commit to it with the same intensity you’d bring if you were about to jump out of a plane. The whole thing starts with one decision: how dedicated are you willing to be to make it real?
Frequently asked questions
Are dedication and focus really enough to reach my climbing goals?
They’re the foundation, but they’re not the whole build. Dedication and focus get you to the wall consistently and keep you working when it’s hard, and nothing else works without them. To actually send harder you also need good movement, a bit of a plan, honest feedback on your weak points, and real recovery.
How do I stay dedicated to climbing when life gets busy?
Shrink the goal until it fits. Short, regular sessions beat rare heroic ones. When I was sick before my jump I couldn’t rest all day, so I stacked short naps and small wins instead. Same idea with climbing: 15 minutes of focused work you’ll actually repeat is worth more than a two-hour session you keep skipping.
How do I turn motivation into real climbing progress?
Point it at something you can measure. Keep a simple climbing journal or a training planner so you can see what you did and what changed. When progress is visible on paper, staying dedicated gets a lot easier because you’re chasing evidence, not just a feeling.
What should I train besides dedication and focus?
The mental side, your movement quality, and your recovery. Work on the fear and doubt that hold you back, clean up your footwork and body positioning, and give your fingers and tendons enough rest to adapt. Aim your dedication at those things instead of just grinding harder on the same habits.
