Mental Preparation
Many people underestimate the importance of mental preparation when undertaking a challenge. On Everest we are likely to encounter a number of difficult situations such as extreme cold, intimidating weather conditions and health problems, to name but a few. The ability to be able to roll with any problem, combined with a strong desire to succeed will be vital.
In fact, this mental strength will be tested long before we reach Everest itself as the planning and logistics involved also require considerable dedication, time and energy. We have found it necessary to treat the expedition as a second job with set hours which have to be worked each day. Without doing this we have found that we were not getting things done. There was always some kind of distraction such as a good film on TV or simply feeling tired after work.
When we were making the decision as to whether to go for the summit we wrote write down the pros and cons of the project as a whole taking into account all the stages we would need to go through to accomplish it. We realised we would have to make sacrifices, such as our weekly trip to the pub, long lie ins on the weekends and any free time! Despite the sacrifices we felt the pro’s of going ahead by far outweighed the cons and we decided to make it happen. By reminding ourselves of the positives we remain mentally focused and it prevents us from becoming resentful of the things we have given up.
In addition, we have found it useful to keep a scrapbook of pictures and quotes which inspire us. This consists of articles in magazines and websites, pictures from our training climbs or anything else that may give us a boost when we experience any doubts or a dip in motivation.
We also recognise the importance of rewarding ourselves for progress made to date. When things begin to appear overwhelming, we stop and look back at all the progress we have made so far and take pride in what we have already achieved. Then, when looking forward again, we try to break down the remaining elements into a number of smaller steps which make the overall objective seem a little easier to tackle.
Visualisation is also a very powerful tool. We have begun to visualise ourselves on the top of Everest. We are feeling exhausted but elated, the fresh air whipping our faces, the sun blazing down on our frozen limbs… you get the picture! (We’re more likely to collapse in a heap gasping for breath!). By making sure our vision incorporates all our senses, the more realistic and powerful it will be. If we practice this on a regular basis we should be able to draw on it at times when we are struggling to keep going on the mountain, when it's a matter of mind over matter.
Planning and preparation is also vital in ensuring mental strength. Basically, if we know we have trained hard and have confidence in our ability we should be able to keep thinking positively and stop any negative thoughts from taking over.
The power of positive self thought should also never be underestimated! When we find negative thoughts have started to creep into our minds, we tell ourselves to 'STOP'. We then reframe our thoughts into something more positive. For example, reframe, 'I can't do this'; to STOP and tell yourself, 'I can do this, I'm ready'! Sounds cheesy, but it works!
Yeti's Top Tips!!:
Treat the project as a second job
Visualise yourself achieving the goal
Break each goal down into manageable smaller steps
Credit yourself for achievements to date to maintain motivation to continue
Use positive self thought
Explain to friends what you're doing and ask for their support