Rock Climbing Techniques That Can Be Your Secret Weapon In Life

There are times when desire and commitment drive people out of any comfort zone they could possibly imagine. Manley Feinberg II, a business leader, motivational speaker and author of Reaching Your Next Summit, shares the lessons he learned from his climbing experience and which he applied in real life. 

Climbers, like anyone looking to accomplish big things, expect to fall on the way to reaching their summit and that's why they use a belayer. "Before beginning the climb to your new goal, you should have processes in place to allow for your inevitable mistakes." Feinberg says. "Your own personal belayer that provides a safety system for when you fall."

"In climbing we know we'll fall; then the question becomes 'what do I do next?'" Freiberg says. A belayer must feed a climber just enough rope to allow him to move in a desired direction. You'll want partners in business, and in life, who give you enough rope to climb and room to grow. "Find people who support you," he adds.

In climbing, if the person below you has too much rope out, then you'll fall much farther than you need to, he adds, and that can lead to injury and it will be harder to get back on the wall. In business, your partner, the belayer, shouldn't give you too much slack because when you fall, the impact is going to be even greater for both of you.

A belayer must feed you just enough rope as you move along, Feinberg says. However, they can hold you up if they aren't giving you enough slack to move. Identifying a belayer who is holding you back in life and disconnecting from him or her can be one of the most courageous and productive actions you will ever take. It's OK to ask an outsider for an opinion, Feinberg adds. "People don't always see a problem."

There is a distinction between "falling" and "failing." When you fall, which you will if you try to accomplish goals beyond your comfort zone, your partners must be fully present for you, just as a belayer must lock off the rope right away when a climber begins to fall.

A good partner will help you recover and get back at your endeavor as soon as possible. "It's a myth," Feinberg says, "that saying 'great job' even if the job is not well done will undermine your partner." It's always good to "focus on the positive and to try to keep the momentum going positively." After the compliment is the time to ask what you can do differently so you can be even better, he adds.

You have to get out of your comfort zone effectively, Feinberg says. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. In climbing, you're competing against yourself, he adds. This is pretty much like in real life; people are usually their worst enemies. Next time you're facing an obstacle; just think to yourself: "You've done much scarier things in the climbing world," Feinberg says. Hanging off a wall with nothing but rock and air underneath is almost always scarier than any office situation you may find yourself in.

There are many routes a climber can take to reach to the top. That's why they often have to stop, take a break, and think about what to do next. These "routes" are different options and choices in business. You have to consciously think about what you want and what needs to be done, Feinberg says. "This is a time for reflection."

Climbers don't see much ahead of them, maybe 20 feet, Feinberg says. In climbing, you have to pause for a moment as you're hanging on a wall, breathe, and analyze what's in front of you, he adds. "This is also helpful in life and business." This teaches you patience and acceptance of the fact that you don't have all the answers right now and that's OK. "The best climbs are done at a snail's pace."