I grew up in an amazing family. My dad always was and always will be my hero. Such an incredible man: honest, hard working, trust worthy, sacrificial are all words that any who knew him would use to describe his character. He worked as a traveling salesman. I loved going on the road with him during summer breaks. However during the school year I would remain home with my mom and younger siblings as he would be off working, often for three to four days straight.
It was during those days when he was gone that my mother gave me one of the greatest gifts anyone could give a young boy. She would come to me for the help or advise or direction that she would normally go to my dad for. I’m not sure if she really needed it, but one thing was loud and clear to me: mom believed that I had what it took to lead our family in dad’s absence.
Belief is a powerful thing. Belief in an engineer’s understanding of aerodynamics and lift will give me the confidence that I need to climb inside of a steel cylinder and allow it to propel my body 30,000 feet up in the sky at almost the speed of sound. Belief in a great cause can give men and women the courage to step onto a battle field; and belief in a higher power can comfort their families when they don’t return home. Belief can keep our head in the game, help us endure the harshest realities, and give us reason to smile when everyone else is predicting the end.
Without belief, our only other option is doubt. Doubt is a relentless slave master. It breeds fear, worry, anxiety, anger, panic, and sleepless nights.
During the planning stages of Bliss Bouldering and Climbing Complex, I wanted to establish the values that I hoped we could live by and that I felt would keep us on track and ‘successful’ regardless of the financial or growth numbers. I wrote these out in an acrostic using the letters B.L.I.S.S.
Believe.
Lead.
Inspire.
Serve.
Smile.
Over the next few weeks we are going to look at each of these words and consider what they may mean for your climbing gym and your life in general.
One thing we have learned for sure is that it takes incredible faith (belief) to open a new gym. Belief in ourselves that we have what it takes and that we will adapt and grow and change and move and persevere. Belief in our team and our leadership that they have each others backs, that they share a similar vision, and that they will give 110% to provide you, our climbers and our friends, with the absolute best experience possible. And of course, belief in you our climbers. Belief that you will embrace our community, belief that you will find a way up that crazy route, and belief that like with us, climbing will also make your life much richer.
The other astonishing thing about belief: what you belief will almost always determine what you can do. I remember watching one of our members really struggle on a hard boulder problem. This person kept falling time and time again. Then I watched as he walked up to the problem for another try. But this one was clearly different. He held his shoulders different. There was a strut in his step. And without a word said, I knew. I knew he would send it. I watched as this young man walked up his project like it was a warmup!
What changed? He suddenly believed.
What do you believe? What fears and doubts do you need to eliminate from your life? My belief is that Bliss can be a pivotal tool in helping you realize those goals.
Believe always and follow your bliss,
David
