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How do you find balance?

Original Post
Matt conch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 5

The reality for me (and probably for most other climbers) with working full time at a minimum wage shit job, as well as being an over-achieving full time student, is that I don’t get nearly as much climbing time as I would like.

Thats the omnipresent question for me: how do I balance the necessities with what is truly important to me(aka climbing)?
How do you guys find balance?

mediocre · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jul 2013 · Points: 0

I worked at a gym. I didn't necessarily get to climb outside a lot more, but at least I was able to stay in shape so that when I could I wasn't starting over every time.

I was also single with no kids so working at a gym was feasible.

wsperry · · Lafayette, CA · Joined Aug 2014 · Points: 115

There is no easy way to find the balance. I've found that unless you're willing to make serious lifestyle changes i.e Job/location/school whatever. It comes down more to what kind of time you are willing to sacrifice to go climbing as opposed to finding the balance. Which can or cannot be hard to do depending. There is 24hrs in everybody's day it is up to you to determine what you want to do with it.

I Man · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Oct 2012 · Points: 0

I find finding a balance to be incredibly difficult, especially as my main interest is climbing big mountains. Over the years I have gone back and forth between working a full time stable job and taking seasonal work to just get by. As I get older though, and have things like a partner and a mortgage, that becomes tough. Now I work a desk job. It sucks. I want to climb big mountains all the time, but I can't. If you are mostly into rock climbing - take a break, work a ton and save up money. When you are done with school live in your van for a few months, or a few years. Live. You'll never get that time back.

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0

I have the opposite problem... money, time, but have trouble finding people to climb with. Planning a trip to Yosemite in 2 weeks but 2 of the people who were going with me both had to bail and unsure if the 3rd of our group is going to make it.

I would say if you finish college and can manage your money properly to save up... take a trip before you start a full time job. I went and spent 4 months in Africa after finishing college and it was great.

Guy Keesee · · Moorpark, CA · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 349

Viper.... partners will always bail on you. The best place to find partners for YV is YV... just do it.

and Matt.... get the school out of the way, ez to quit minimum wage job and EZ to get a new one.

I work a ton now, but from the time I was 23 to 29 I lived climbing.... paying for it now.... many of my old friends are retired now, I still have some working to do.

But the retired guys can't climb like a young dude can... well most of them anyway.

goingUp · · over here · Joined Apr 2013 · Points: 30

life is about prioritizing. balance is you trying to equally prioritize different things.
you should be prioritizing school, when thats finished, it will be easier for you to go be a dirtbag for a few years (if thats what you really want to do). School should come first, as there have been may studies that show a decline in aptitude after the age of 25, (it wanes, its not a cliff) and that it becomes harder and harder to go back to school.
Ill tell you, After undergrad i spent some time doing various things in business before i realized that I did not want to work 9-5 (or in my case 8-6), to have money and be a weekend warrior. So I quit, and moved to the mountains and was a snowboard/climbing bum for years. The past few of which I have been holding multiple jobs, and taking pre-reqs for PA school.
Since I am no longer boozing and partying all the time, and chasing women... my life balance is easy, I climb and hike a ton, do well in school etc... I just dont spend money on eating out, or on clothes (other than gear... im a total gear whore). take some studying things to the gym or crag and multitask. get up early and get a climb or hike in before class, (the DBC has a 24 hour membership option and i frequently go get a burn on at 3-4am after work...)
The hours and adventure are there, you just need to make it work in your life.
lastly, ill leave you with the profetic words of the late Hunter S. Thompson...

reddit.com/r/books/comments…

banski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 10

I kinda go with the flow. My boyfriend helps me keep the balance between hobbies as for work its not so bad either being 3 days a week. We don't need much...

Jon Zucco · · Denver, CO · Joined Aug 2008 · Points: 245

I highly recommend getting one of these:

revbalance.com/shop/101-bal…

Anonymous · · Unknown Hometown · Joined unknown · Points: 0
Guy Keesee wrote:Viper.... partners will always bail on you. The best place to find partners for YV is YV... just do it. and Matt.... get the school out of the way, ez to quit minimum wage job and EZ to get a new one. I work a ton now, but from the time I was 23 to 29 I lived climbing.... paying for it now.... many of my old friends are retired now, I still have some working to do. But the retired guys can't climb like a young dude can... well most of them anyway.
That was one thought of mine to just go anyway and try to find someone to climb with while i am there.

I went with a few people to the red and ended up staying extra 4 days climbing with 2 people who were living out of a van driving around from place to place. Was a great trip.
tenpins · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Jan 2007 · Points: 30

finish school. It seems like you have limited time from your younger perspective. You have *decades* ahead of you. a 4 year degree keeps a shitload of jobs open to you - means more ways to make money. Means more freedom to climb just a few short years down the road.

Matt conch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 5

Thanks for the replies. Prioritizing can indeed be a bitch.
I need to work to survive so that's not a very difficult decision.
Im 22 right now, and I have about 4 to 5 years left at school. I'm just wanting more "instant gratification".

I guess part of the issue is that I just got done with a major life change, which included me going to rehab. I left and chased the mountains from Albuquerque to Csprings and made the move. I wanted to pursue a degree in outdoor leadership & rec tech. After about 6months clean I decided to make a major education change and pursue psych nursing. I dont think I have what it takes to be a dirtbag as a career choice. Now I'm ~18months clean, have a steady (albiet shitty) job, and am a pretty good student. All seems well on the outside..

However, I don't have the time to do what I came here to do. I know I have a lot of lifetime left, but I know the clock of youth is ticking. I am grateful for my 1-2 days a week of plastic pulling, and my ~ bi-weekly rock sessions. It can be hard to work so damn hard for the future when sometimes you just wanna have some fun right now! haha.

anyways, my bitching session is done. is there an area of the forum for connecting climbing partners?

ClimbHunter · · Reno, NV · Joined Nov 2013 · Points: 15

Like wsperry said, it's really about lifestyle & priorities. The key word in your original question is NECESSITIES. Everyone has different ideas on what those are. Once you get out of school you will have likely have an option to choose yours. Some of my thoughts as I approached graduation were:

-Are you willing to take a lesser job to live in an area that offers more climbing potential? How much year-round climbing is in weekend range? You may have less cash, take a career hit, and be farther away from friends and family in order to live in a climb-centric location.

For me being a weekend warrior is something that I have to do, but it just doesn't cut it. I did more (and had more fun) in a 3 month road trip last summer than I have in the previous 3 years. I got a lot stronger too.

-How much are you willing to save (aka: what are you willing to give up?) in order have the money to work less and climb more. Do you really need that six pack? Nice truck? Nice apartment? Smartphone data plan? Spend at least a month tracking ALL of your expenses and see if there's any fat to cut out. Having some spending estimates will also help you plan for road trips on a budget.

A lot of my college friends have nice cars and nice houses and are really COMFORTABLE. Sometimes I am jealous, but when it comes down to it I don't really need that stuff. If you're going to do it right, do it while you're young. But like Keesee said, you may pay for it later.

It may help to find ways to stay motivated and set concrete goals. I started a 'scrapbook' of pictures of all the climbing areas or routes that I wanted to visit. I also make more of an effort to log my trips with pictures and video. Sometimes I struggle with feeling unaccomplished since I don't have a bunch of expensive objects to show off like my engineering buddies.

The good news is that it's not all or nothing. Some people dirtbag for a year, some for 50. Good luck finding your balance.

Greg Gavin · · SLC, UT · Joined Oct 2008 · Points: 888

dude ive been a full time student working for 6 years (slow boat I know, but due to a major switch). the key is to get out when you can. never leave a free day...free. go out and get the hell after it! it will totally help you stay psyched in school, and to also stay in shape for when those big trips come around. living in CO gives you the chance to take advantage of even the smallest windows of free time.

don't let any free time go unused.

Jan Tarculas · · Riverside, Ca · Joined Mar 2010 · Points: 917
Matt conch wrote: After about 6months clean I decided to make a major education change and pursue psych nursing. I dont think I have what it takes to be a dirtbag as a career choice.
Just get it out of the way Matt. I've been a nurse for 7 years now and Nursing school was probably the hardest thing I had ever done in the 29 years of my young adult life. I do get jealous of my dirt bag friends that always get to climb, BUT I do get to climb a lot and on top of that afford to buy nice things and travel to many places they can't because of cost. Just don't get anyone knocked up and you will be good to go once you're done.
Fat Dad · · Los Angeles, CA · Joined Nov 2007 · Points: 60
Guy Keesee wrote:Viper.... partners will always bail on you. The best place to find partners for YV is YV... just do it.
I agree with Guy. My first trip to the Valley I was 16 and partnerless but ended up meeting some really cool folks and climbing some really classic routes: Arrow Tip, E. Butt of MCR, even the NW Face of Half Dome. I even got to climb Serenity Crack and some other funs routes with this skinny pasty Brit on his first trip to the U.S. The dude's name? Derek Hershey.
banski · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2015 · Points: 10
Jan Tarculas wrote: Just get it out of the way Matt. I've been a nurse for 7 years now and Nursing school was probably the hardest thing I had ever done in the 29 years of my young adult life. I do get jealous of my dirt bag friends that always get to climb, BUT I do get to climb a lot and on top of that afford to buy nice things and travel to many places they can't because of cost. Just don't get anyone knocked up and you will be good to go once you're done.
I agree, not having kids makes things quite simple. The money rat race is hard to escape when your work asks you to work overtime all the time. Been there done that. Resist the urge to become a consumer and adjust your wants to your income. It's hard to do with all the gear and trips and all. Learning to live simple and not accumulate things has been a challenge for me. The lack of space to store possessions now living in a van simplifies things a lot.
Matt conch · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Mar 2015 · Points: 5

thanks for your advice everyone.

that professor quote is something I will take with me, as is the Hunter T passage. And always good to hear there are people in this world that don't wanna knock girls up. faaack no ha.

I think the biggest thing for me, is not leaving any time not put to good use (as greg said). Making a friend or two (gasp). And maybe once all that is done I will work towards being okay with getting a B in a class hah.

John Buchenauer · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Apr 2014 · Points: 35

I feel like I've got one foot in your boat and another in a different boat. I'm lucky enough to come from a family that will support my education costs, but every time I mention buying climbing gear or going on trips, they scoff. I've taken to using the disposable income I get from being a soccer referee to buy gas and climbing gear. It's not much, maybe a couple hundred a month, but it's let me build my trad rack up.
I breathe climbing though, it's on my mind all the time. My shitty no-kitchen studio is covered with climbing posters and I make my class schedule so I can climb at least one week day with these old guys at the gym (they're amazing climbers and I learn a ton from them). School work gets done between gym/outdoor sessions. What depresses me the most is the lack of people to climb with: all my partners complain about homework loads and needing to study for finals. More prospective trips for me have been canceled simply because others don't want to make the sacrifices I've chosen to make.
My balance has been to make climbing a priority in my life. I'm lucky that I have a beach bouldering area about 10 minutes away so I can practice climbing there, but the stuff I really want to climb is much further away.

I would say plan your day/week/month/year/life around what is important to you. You can choose to make climbing a necessity or not. I have a long history of hyperfocusing on one thing for 4-6 months. I've been climbing for a year and a half now. You do you, buddy.

Viper - I would totally join you but that's the week of finals and me resting for Joshua Tree. Have fun, dude, sounds awesome.

KevinFitzgerald · · Salt Lake City, UT · Joined Mar 2008 · Points: 40

Hey Matt,
Do what you can now to keep in shape and pushing yourself.

Keep the big picture in mind. You're basically working full time and a half (and making little money). This will change when you finish school. Imagine what it will be like to be making better money and having every night and weekend off. It's great. Time constraints and life will change, but you can still be climbing 20 years from now.

Kevin

20 kN · · Unknown Hometown · Joined Feb 2009 · Points: 1,346

Well, there are a few answers. You could switch to an easier school. You could lower your standards to the minimum required to pass the class (as many do). Those two things would probably free up a ton of time if that's something you are willing to live with. You have to decide which is more important, climbing or school.

Likewise, you can drop school all together. We have been preprogramed from birth that you need to go to college or you will be a bum and never have a good job, and everyone should go to college. That's baloney. It used to be that everyone should go to college because it increases your overall intelligence level, and you could go to college on the cheap. But it's not like that anymore. You need to look at college as an investment, no different from investing in the stock market. College is EXPENSIVE and if the field you are studying is not likely to give you a big pay bump, it does not make financial sense to go to college. I know tons of guys that have degrees like poly science, city planning, agriculture, ect. Years after graduation and all they have to show for their degree is a $40,000 piece of paper. Their job salary certainly does not reflect their degree.

There are plenty of jobs that pay reasonably well that do not require a degree or that only require some training at a technical institute of sorts. Jobs that come to mind are auto techs (at a dealer), laborers (e.g. welder, semi-truck driver, construction), small business owner, and specialty jobs like marine salvage diver and the sorts. I know underwater welders that make $150 an hour. Some of the solar installation techs in my area make a KILLING. Numerous options exist.

So I guess my point is if you want to climb NOW and you still want to have a job with reasonable pay, the shortest path is probably to skip college and choose a job that pays reasonably well with only technical/ trade school training (e.g. 3 - 24 months school).

Guideline #1: Don't be a jerk.

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