mastery Archives - CLIPPING CHAINS

September 5, 2022September 4, 2022

Chris Weidner: Something More To The Story

Today on episode 43 I’m happy to have Chris Weidner, a long-time Colorado Front Range local, writer, husband, and father. This conversation is special to me for unexpected reasons. I hoped to interview Chris about his career as a writer, but what emerged was something far more interesting, and admittedly, brave on Chris’s part as it relates to career and finances. Chris is shockingly frank in many aspects of this conversation in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I really thank him for that, and I hope you will enjoy this truly fascinating discussion about his life, climbing, family, and career.

June 29, 2020July 4, 2020

Nate Drolet: So You Want to be a Coach?

Alright folks, we’re finally getting back on the interview wagon, and I’m pleased this week to bring you Nate Drolet. Nate, at 31 years young, is a coach, trainer, and podcast co-host for Power Company Climbing, a well-rounded climber (he has climbed multiple 5.14a routes and V12 boulders), and a master of movement. Nate also takes an admirably pragmatic approach to learning and self-improvement.

In many cases, it might be as simple as mind over matter…

April 27, 2020May 14, 2020

The Hard Truth Book Review

Stuck at home and thinking about climbing? Are you convinced that now is the time to really work on those weaknesses? This week we take a dive into the new book by Kris Hampton of Power Company Climbing, The Hard Truth. Does this book deserve a place in your quarantined home?

January 6, 2020January 6, 2020

Hazel Findlay: Fear Is Trainable

I’m sort of fascinated with the concept of fear. It’s the entire subject of this post, but it’s also something I weave into a lot of my thinking and writing. Steve Bechtel told us how fear affects his clients, noting the powerful, crippling effect of worry, inaction, and ultimately⏤unfulfilled potential. All the best ideas mean nothing when we lay catatonic and hesitant to act on those ideas. It therefore seemed suitable for me to reach out to Hazel Findlay.

Hazel Findlay is a UK-based professional climber known for bold, traditional ascents. To use the American parlance, Hazel steps up to the plate.

Not only has Hazel learned to harness and use fear to propel her climbing career, but she’s begun a coaching career in tandem to mold and shape the fear of others. And speaking of fear, we discuss how her blossoming climbing career nearly came to an early end.

October 28, 2019October 28, 2019

Obsession and Performance Don’t Always Mix

This website certainly should fall more in the “personal finance” category than any sort of typical rock climbing website. But I will remind you that I’ve carried a full-tilt obsession with climbing for over nine years. So good.

My number one goal for nearly a decade has been to be a better climber than yesterday. And in doing so, I’ve kinda/sorta/accidentally wrapped my self-worth into a sticky web of climbing performance, often to my own detriment. But in the last year I’ve found a balance, taken a step back, and incidentally improved my performance. Just dumb luck? I don’t think so.

June 3, 2019August 6, 2019

Ego and Mastery: Looking Good vs Being Good

From the way we dress, the content we put on social media, to even the routes we climb, our ego often runs the show. To pursue mastery of any sort, a high level of discomfort is required, usually in spite of the ego’s desire for pedestal-worthy achievement. I’ve had a slow and steady awakening over the past few years, allowing me to begin to see just how much my ego is in control. (Cliff Notes: a lot).

Let’s start with a climbing example, but hang in there non-climbers (PUN)!