Old Pieces of Writing - Just A Statement of Fact

*Written for Edged on Oct 2010

At the recently concluded SIM Bouldering Championships, some random insight struck me, which I hope to share here.

I’ve been qualifying for Mens Open Finals for like the past 2 years now, consistently for almost every competition. Good enough to qualify, but not good enough to make the podium. Regardless, being able to qualify for the finals has become a rather uncanny ability. No matter if I had to endure the stress of projects and assignments breathing down my throat in weeks past, no matter if I did not sleep properly the night before. Slip in to the finals by a hair’s breadth I somehow manage to.

I didn’t manage to qualify for this competition.

Every competitor knows that there are good days and bad days. Your body cannot be performing at its peak all the time, so you have to periodize your training in order to hem in that optimal level for the competition season. The competitors’ holy grail – making sure your good day coincides with your competition day – is highly sought after. Inevitably, there are days where poor performance becomes an issue. Understanding this, I wasn’t too bothered on failing to make the finals.

Amusingly, when friends asked me how I did for the qualifiers, to which I replied I didn’t make the cut, almost instantaneously, some ‘console-this-dude-if-he-fails-to-qualify’ switch gets flipped on in their brains. They typically launch into a lengthy but well-meaning tirade about how I shouldn’t feel so bad; how competitions aren’t everything there is to rock climbing; how further opportunities abound, and the like. It is quite funny actually – like watching a tape put on rewind, except you didn’t press the rewind button.

Look here. When I say the (almost blasphemous, considering the reaction) words I didn’t qualify, it is simply a statement of fact. No negative emotion, unhappy feelings, suicidal tendencies, or whatsoever, is embedded within. Let me spell it out for you, the proper way to interpret the line is “You didn’t qualify. FULLSTOP”. I cannot emphasize the fullstop enough.

Some people feel a need to proclaim on social media platforms their failure in the undertaking, musing whether to quit climbing, eliciting “WHAT? NO!” responses, seeking reassurances from friends that they’re fine climbers, and revel in that fuzzy warm feeling of being wrapped tightly in that sense of security. I however, do not have such a need. I recognize that on the occasion, I failed to make the cut.

Basically, I see things for what they are. This is a competition – the best man wins. The time spent complaining or living in denial can be better put to reflection, and clinical training. If I had cried my eyes out or got all emotional for every competition I failed to make the finals (the number is quite significant given my ability, or lack thereof), you’ll be seeing a rather shriveled specimen (Jansenes Petrificus Totalis!) now.

Being objective or just being plain rude? Heh. You decide.