On Saturday I read an article in the New York Times about Tommy Caldwell, 36 and Kevin Jorgeson, 30 relentlessly efforts towards the summit of the Dawn Wall which is a 3,000-foot vertical wall on the southeast face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park. The Caldwell-Jorgeson’s effort which begun on Dec. 27, 2014 is considered the most difficult free climb ever attempted. As I read the article I could not help visualizing the risks faced by the two climbers. Most importantly I wanted to cheer them on their quest and celebrate each time the completed a pitch. Caldwell and Jorgeson are doing the impossible and they are inspiring people like me and you.
There are five important lessons about making the impossible possible in 2015 that we can take away from Caldwell and Jorgeson’s incredible free climb up Dawn Wall.
1. Take risks and be fearless
Clearly both Caldwell and Jorgeson are risk-takers. They are not paralyzed by fear. They are extremely confident and belief in their abilities. From what I have read, Caldwell is the more experienced climber of the two. The Dawn Wall will be his 12th free climb on El Capitan. For Jorgeson, it will be his first. To avert some of the risks involved in their quest, they wait until dusk or even night to climb, using headlamps to see. The reason for this is that they need the rock to be cold to prevent their fingers and hands from perspiring too much and slipping off these imperceptibly tiny granite handholds.
Taking risks requires that you belief in yourself. You must be so confident in yourself that you are fearless. Your beliefs are powerful. If you believe something is impossible, that belief will erode your confidence and turn that impossible belief into a self-fulfilling prophecy. You will be afraid and you will avoid taking risk. You must confront risk with confidence. However, you should not be careless or carefree.
2. Control the things you can control
On January 1, both climbers succeeded on pitch 14, a breakthrough for both to conquer this first significant hurdle. Pitch 15 was also equally difficult. Caldwell made it to the top of pitch 15 but Jorgeson stalled primarily because of tears in his fingertip skin as well as because his right foot was ever so slightly out of position as shown in a video analysis of his attempts. Pitch numbers 12 through 20 constitute the hardest climbing on the Dawn Wall.
To make the impossible possible in 2015, control the things you can control. Over the week, Jorgeson sought advice from the climbing world about how to best tape his fingertips. He experimented with various methods only to encounter profound frustration when he reached other sharp, tiny holds on pitch 15 only to have his tape slip and cause him to fall.
Success for Jorgeson seems in doubt and at the same time Caldwell had to make the decision whether to move on alone or waited for his partner. Caldwell eventually went ahead and was unstoppable. Each day he dispatched pitch after pitch—as climbers call a rope-length of climbing—completing all the way through pitch 20. In total, the Dawn Wall is about 3,000 feet tall, and breaks down into 32 pitches.
On Friday, January 9, Jorgeson broke through. After two days of rest to let his skin heal, and having perfected his taping system, Jorgeson climbed pitch 15 without falling. He called the experience "crazy and surreal." The success re-energized the team in a major way, as Jorgeson seemed to be catching a second wind. By Saturday, Jorgeson had also completed pitches 16 and 17, too—another major breakthrough.
To turn an impossible dream into possibilities you must control the things you can control. For example, you can control your health by eating healthy foods and keeping physically fit by exercising daily. You can keep track of your finances by using a budget. You can document your plans and goals for 2015.
3. Think outside the box – think possibilities and not impossibilities
One of the most amazing things for me about following Caldwell and Jorgeson on their monumental journey up the summit of Dawn Wall is how they rest. For the past 16 days they have essentially been living on the side of El Capitan. They spend their nights in a portaledge camp—essentially a hanging platform tent—fixed to the wall near the middle of this block of pitches. Clearly, in order for Caldwell and Jorgeson to complete the most difficult climb in the world they needed to think outside the box. So rather than climb down each day they decided to camp out on the side of the Dawn Wall.
To make the impossible possible in 2015, you must think outside the box. I am optimistic that Caldwell and Jorgeson will make it to the top of Dawn Wall. I am cheering them on.
4. Never Stop Learning
There are some 13 other full-length routes on El Capitan that have been free climbed. However, none of those come close to the sustained level of difficulty the Dawn Wall presents. It took Tommy Caldwell, who has free climbed 11 of those other routes, more than anyone else, seven years to piece together a way up the wall. He methodically explored the sheer face by rappelling down from the top of El Capitan on reconnaissance missions, searching for the tiniest wrinkles in the smooth rock to pull himself upward. He fell hundreds of times while attempting the route’s numerous pitches (a pitch is a segment of climbing less than the length of a rope), though he was caught each time by his rope. The resulting route is a masterpiece. The hardest section, Pitches 14 and 15, involved traversing horizontally across the blankest portion of the wall for more than 300 feet. This required the power and coordination of an Olympic gymnast and the footwork of a ballerina.
Jorgeson noted that on their current quest he his learning a lot from Caldwell first in terms of attitude and technique. He noted that Caldwell's optimism is, in a lot of ways, why this route is coming together. It would be really easy to write off the Dawn Wall as impossible. He also noted that in terms of climbing technique, he is learning a new language on granite of the Dawn Wall as well as that the climbing has a certain pace to it. It has a tempo. It's about how you step on the footholds. It's very particular.
To turn your impossible dreams into possibilities never stop learning.
5. Be Resolved and Kick Doubt Aside
In order to turn your impossible dreams into possibilities you must have a deep rooted resolve to succeed. You must kick doubt and fear aside. Jorgeson, speaking to National Geographic from his portaledge just after waking up, described his mindset for the past week as one of pure resolve. He was resolved that he was going successful get to the top of pitch 15. He noted that he never allowed anything else to come into his mind not even happiness. He noted that he was stoked to watch Caldwell pull onto Wino Tower [the ledge at the top of pitch 20], but he was kind of preoccupied with his own resolve of what he still had to do to get to the top of pitch 15.
Jorgeson noted that he had moments of doubts but they were fleeting. They were combined with feelings of frustration. He told the National Geographic that he would pull back to the ledge, having split his finger yet again, and then realize he would have to take another two rest days. In his mind he thought about the timing, the weather as well as whether or not he was going to have another chance to do it. He noted that 30 minuteswould go by and then he was back to his state of resolve.
Having accomplished pitch 15, he has the same attitude about the next three pitches as he did about pitch 15. As far as he was concerned, they are just as hard and he was trying not to let any other thoughts creep in.
To make you impossible dreams possible in 2015 you must be like Jorgeson. You must have a fierce determination to succeed and don’t ever succumb to doubts and fear.
When you do the impossible you inspire others and leave a legacy
Just reading about Caldwell and Jorgeson’s quest inspires me. The anticipation and spectacle surrounding it is awesome. Clearly this will be a part of their legacy. Weather permitting, they are expected to reach the summit of Dawn Wall in February. I am terrified of heights yet I admire the climbers’ courage.
Events that capture themes that are relevant and applicable to people’s lives are usually captivating. We don’t all have to climb to the top of Dawn Wall to inspire others. However, with our own adventures, dedication, determination, vision, goals and belief we can make the impossible possible and inspire others.
In my blog last week, I wrote about my failure to sleep outdoors on the coldest night in 2014 in solidarity with the homeless. Reading about Caldwell and Jorgeson’s determination to get to summit of Dawn Wall is serving as an inspiration for me to attempt sleeping outdoors on the coldest night of 2015. Should I attempt sleeping outdoors? Would you be inspired? Would you help me accomplish this goal?
What is your impossible dream for 2015? What is your adventure for 2015?
Look at what you accomplished in 2014 especially what you once thought could never be done. Are you amazed you once thought it was impossible?
In 2015, take some risks and be fearless, control the things you can control and think outside the box. Think possibilities and not impossibilities.
Mark McKenzie is a leading Subject Matter Expert in financial services regulation and supervision as well as a professional motivational speaker, corporate trainer and youth mentor. He can be contacted by email mastbmckenzie@gmail.com or by telephone 647-406-4622. Read my blog http://mastbmckenzie.blogspot.ca/ and always write me a comment and share. Follow me on Twitter @mackynacky. Connect with me on www.youtube.com, Google+, Facebook and Linkedin.
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