EP 168: Don McGrath — Rewriting Unhelpful Scripts, How to Tackle Fear of Falling, and Playing as We Age
The Nugget Climbing Podcast
How to Climb Vertically
"Vertical mind" is a book about the psychology of climbing. The author has written six books and says he's most proud of this one. "I began thinking a lot more about my own, my own climbing," writes David Walliams.
Don McGrath is the author of Vertical Mind and an expert on mental training for climbing. We talked about the two simple diet changes he made to get back in shape in his 60s, our untapped potential in mental training, debunking and rewriting unhelpful scripts, how to tackle fear of falling and fear of failure, pre-climb rituals, how to use your climbing partner as a coach, how to stay in love with climbing as we age, duct tape and baling wire, embracing the suck, and much more!
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Show Notes:
thenuggetclimbing.com/episodes/don-mcgrath
Nuggets:
0:03:56 – The love/hate relationship to climbing in Rifle and Smith Rock
0:07:49 – Living in Colorado Springs, spending the winter in the gym, and working with a coach
0:08:52 – The two simple diet changes Don made to lose his “60-year-old belly”
0:10:56 – Increasing his climbing volume, getting on harder routes in the gym, and the accountability of a coach
0:12:31 – Whiskey time, habits, and alcohol substitutes
0:16:16 – Turning 60, being retired, and setting the goal of climbing 5.12+/13- (7c/+) again after a decade
0:18:07 – Don’s coach Kevin Branford
0:20:40 – Don’s introduction to climbing, and how he became interested in writing and mental training
0:27:27 – Shame Theory, and Fear of Failure
0:30:43 – How the mental aspect of training is overlooked, and diving into movement, emotions, and thoughts
0:34:03 – How to tackle fear of falling, scripts, working on one thing at a time, and the arsenal of uneventful falls
0:39:16 – The story of the woman in The Gunks, and understanding irrational fear
0:42:29 – Debunking scripts
0:45:40 – The script that was holding Don back when he was one-hanging routes in Rifle
0:47:49 – Don’s mantra, and “one move at a time”
0:52:20 – Pre-climb ritual
0:56:38 – Don’s first breakthrough with his mental game
0:58:11 – Most common unproductive scripts
1:04:23 – The best piece of onsighting advice I’ve gotten
1:05:25 – Opening and closing your focus
1:08:53 – What musical instruments and karate have to do with climbing
1:10:30 – Warmups as a big missed opportunity
1:13:56 – Cocreative coaching with your climbing partner
1:17:43 – Shoulds elicit a shame response
1:21:02 – Recommendations for couples who are also climbing partners
1:23:25 – The area of mental game that I’ve been focused on, more about scripts, and breaking into new grades
1:29:32 – Patron question from Gromstoph: Do you have any strategies for getting comfortable on a route more quickly?
1:33:05 – “Just go find out.”
1:37:29 – Patron question from Caden: Are there any ways to practice commitment with new moves when doing new climbs?
1:40:37 – Main takeaway about mental training
1:41:24 – How to love your sport as you age, play, and innovate
1:46:24 – Why climbing is unique
1:48:06 – Duct tape and baling wire
1:49:40 – Don’s advice for those of us in our 20s and 30s
1:51:52 – Socio-behavioral changes, and employing winning tactics
1:54:28 – Don’s book The Climb
1:56:38 – What’s the next book?
1:57:15 – Don’s writing practice, and how a book develops a life of its own
1:59:01 – Advice from Les Brown: “Every point should have a story, and every story should have a point.”
2:00:41 – Have fun, enjoy the process, and embrace the suck
2:03:30 – Getting inspiration from watching kids
2:04:53 – Inspiration from good coaches, and the book Running With the Buffalo
2:06:25 – What’s next?
2:07:23 – Wrap up, and how to connect with Don
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