More rock climbing and goal setting.

Back in the rock gym today to do some more climbing and more importantly to learn how to climb. :)
While my max effort grip strength continues to improve my grip strength endurance sucks. Granted I forgot to chalk before getting on the wall, but still. My forearms were toasted and I mean with a quickness. I also did more height than I have before as we were on belay. I dig it.
I've been working more in prioritization of goals and focusing on what I have to do to achieve them. I'm still gaming some things out, but it looks good. My pressing progress continues to go up and I'm getting stronger as I go.
Having goals is important. I used to not have goals and I just kind of did a bunch of stuff. This was fine and I became stronger and built up my endurance, but it was nothing compared to what I went through when I set concrete goals and backed myself into a corner to force myself to stay on task and achieve them. I'm not saying 'doing a bunch of stuff' and having no direction is 'bad', but it's not optimal.
So when I toss something up here like 'I'm going to do the Beast Challenge', the main reason is to force myself to stay on task and not quit just because of stagnant progress. If I quit I'm a punk and that's all there is to it. I may set a goal and come to a point where I realize it isn't possible, but that's exceedingly unlikely. That's why I always say I'm 'gaming it out' before I announce a goal. I think really hard on these things and decide if I can do it. My goals also string together and each one is a building block for the next. For example, I know that developing the max strength required to tame the beast will serve me well in what I have planned next.
Some people say they don't care about goals and whatever. No one's buying it, and furthermore neither are you. Backing yourself into a corner and baring your fists against your weaker self is the best thing you can do for your progress. If you don't set goals, you'll never be challenged. It's easy to just trash yourself and claim it's a work out. Setting concrete goals and forcing yourself to stick to a plan is harder.
At the end of the day the main thing is getting out there and trying to better yourself, however you may do it. In my experience, it's easier to complete the race if you know where the finish line is.