I am competitive to say the least. My friends often say that sometimes I am too competitive. Is there such a thing? I don't know, but where does this competitive drive come from? What fuels me to push on and strive to excel?
For example, SUNY Cortland requires that all P.E. majors complete the Outdoor Adventure Education for Teachers class at Raquette Lake (PED 308). Part of the course involves a 5 day extended wilderness trip where students choose what type of trip they would like to go on depending on their abilities and preference. There were many choices for us to choose from including 90% paddling (canoeing), 50/50, Peaks & Paddle, High Peaks Moderate, and High Peaks Intense. After taking some time to think about it, I decided that I wanted to push myself; test myself if you will. I signed up for High Peaks Intense. I was excited and nervous all at the same time. What motivated me to sign up for this trip? Was it the thrill of pushing myself? Was it the people in the peanut gallery whispering that the intense trip will be too hard? Maybe it was my friend Shawn, pumping me up to go home having hiked more high peaks than all of my hiking buddies who have been going longer than I have. Who knows?
The day before the trip I met with my group members and our instructor and TA who would be going on the trip with us. We formed our team, Team 18, and discussed the goals for the trip after some team building exercises on the high and low ropes courses. We really began to bond during these exercises and learned about the many strengths and weaknesses of our team and the individuals within the team. That night we were all very excited about the trip. In planning the trip with our instructor, we decided that we were very motivated and we wanted to try to do something that noone else in the sixty year history of the program has ever done. We wanted to hike 18 Adirondack high peaks in 4.5 days. The previous record was 15 high peaks as an entire group, and the individual record was 16 high peaks. I think that was a huge source of motivation for my team and for myself. Going down in Cortland history among 60 years of Physical Education majors has to be motivating and quite an achievement. That's what I kept thinking all night long before the trip. I was also thinking 'What am I nuts? Are we all nuts? Obviously there is a reason the record is what it is. This is going to be brutal.'
Without getting into too much detail, 6 out of us 8 team members hiked 18 of the Adirondack Mountain high peaks. The other 2 hiked 6 mountains. There were many times along the way where I began thinking 'Why did I sign up for this? This is too hard. I want to quit.' I never succumbed to those thoughts, however. I remember one point in particular that was a major test of my drive and desire to complete this task. We had just climbed Mt. Marcy (the highest point in New York State) for the second time, we had to go over it to get to get to other peaks, and my instructor who was following behind me noticed some bruising on the back of my knees. After further examination, we noticed that there was quite a bit of fluid building up in my knees and the backs of both of my knees were very bruised from overuse. At that point, my instructor looked at me and said, "Maybe we should call it for you (end my climbing). What do you think?" I looked at him and told him," I'm getting my 18 mountains. I'll take it day by day because I don't want to risk permanent damage, but I think I'll be o.k. and I want 18." At that moment, I knew I had it in me and I was going to achieve my goal. He gave me the okay and after 7 more high peaks I achieved my goal. I hiked 18 high peaks in 4.5 days.
That was by far the most grueling, brutal, and challenging physical activity that I have ever done. In the end, I think it was the one of the most rewarding and exhilarating experiences of my life so far. But what drove me to thrive, with all of the forces against me achieving my goal pushed me to succumb? There were many motivating factors. There was the intrinsic reward and the beauty all around me. There were the whispers of others in my head that I heard saying 'You can't do 18. That's crazy. That's way too hard.' There was the support and desire of my entire team wanting to achieve this goal together. I give them a lot of the credit. Without those guys with me, I never would've been able to accomplish this feat. However, my biggest inspiration was my fiancee and my family at home. Before I left for the trip, I wrote my lady a letter and in the letter I told her that I was going to make her proud and break the record and hike 18 high peaks. When I was out on this trip, I thought about achieving this goal and making her proud of me for making it. I also thought of my Mom. My mom is an amazing woman with more drive and determination and she exhibits more selflessness than any other person I have ever known of in my life. I wanted to make her proud too. I knew that when I came home and told her of my adventure that she would be proud of me. Who doesn't want to make mama proud? I also thought of my Dad and his love of the Adirondacks and how proud he would be. My other motivating factor was my 5 younger brothers and sisters. I wanted to set an example for them and show them that with hard work and determination, anything is possible. This is what motivates me to excel.
What motivates YOU?
Positives about your blog article: I loved how you kept going, never gave up. That is definitely dedication that a lot of us wonder if we have ourselves. This motivates me to go out and want to hike myself. I do enjoy being outdoors just the same and am competitive myself so I could very much relate to your article. Also, your love for your family that motivated you to keep going could relate to most of us reading. The fact that you were trying to break the record is also very cool because many times have i tried to break records and gotten less than a half second away. It does take a lot of work.
ReplyDeleteNegatives: I know that in your about me you wrote that you wanted to share your adventures. Although, for the homework there is only supposed to be one i do believe that is all about you. So maybe you want to work on how you word that perhaps? Also, you might want to proofread because the paragraphs were not separated so I felt I was reading more than I was which made me semi-overwhelmed and you said the same thing twice in a sentence. Lastly, you mentioned how you were getting fluid in your knees, i know how that feels. It sucks. But, I appreciate the dedication to keep going because you love it, you wanted it badly. I understand that feeling, but when you said how you don't want to risk permanent damage, c'mon you knew you would in the back of your head, you had a high percentage of doing so. Maybe you should be competitive, but not to the point of almost destroying your body. What you can't feel, doesn't mean it isn't there. It makes it sound as though you are stronger because you kept going..have you ever thought the opposite. Maybe this is your chance, to think beyond what you normally would and question yourself. No one's perfect.
First of all, I'd really like to commend you on your blog. The layout is amazing. The pictures and the text go hand and hand. I understood what you were saying which is unusual for some blogs. I feel like I'm reading abstract or even worse, PROSE poetry when I read blogs sometimes. Enough of that mushy stuff...the question you put at the end is the key to motivation. What really motivates people. If someone offered you money would you have pushed just as hard to climb those peaks? From the little I know about you, I don't think so. The drive we have as individuals is so unique but the bottom line is (and this is going to sound real cliche) anything is possible if you put your mind to it. Thanks for sharing your story.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful background picture above. You obviously have a lot of drive if your knees were filling up with fluid and you continued climbing. It's not like you were on a flat track or something. Going up and down perpetually flexing and putting pressure on the joints is amazing. It was nice that you paid homage to your family in the story as well. It says a ton about your competitive spirit that you continued and were driven by beating the record. You weren't competing against living breathing people who were pushing you on. You competed against nothing but a number, which is so much easier to give up on. Good for you.
ReplyDeleteThat was a great first blog. Although, I cannot really relate to all the hiking and outdoor activity, I do understand your mindset. I loved how you didn't give up, and thrived to finish 18 mountains. What I really derive from this post is this, some would call, "insanity factor." You test you body to its limit and then keep going. Although, many would call it foolish, I feel it makes a person stronger. For example, although it's not hiking and this i extremely foolish, I tore my ACL a while back, and before my surgery I kept playing sports on it. Not only pick up basketball games, but even my league soccer games. My friends all thought I was nuts. I realize how stupid this sounds now, but it's just a mindset I have, and it seems like you share this common, "give all or nothing" mentality. It seems that you thrive in these type of situations, where people tell you it's not possible. If you look deeper, this story is more than just about sports. People should understand that this kind of mentality gets one further in all aspects of life. People never thought I would be in college, but here I am. Proving people wrong to better facilitate yourself builds mental toughness and teaches lessons that one can use throughout their life.
ReplyDelete