Classical economic theory assumes that we are rational animals—a pretty silly assumption on which to base all economic theory! On paper it looks solid, but it doesn’t account for how people actually behave, which is more dependent on emotions than many of us realize. In contrast, behavioral economics takes into account these emotional states and asserts (correctly, I think) that we tend to behave irrationally.

With the constant ups and downs in our physical performance and our emotional states, we should try to look at our climbing performance more like a smart investor looks at the high volatility of the stock market: don’t expect your best day to be the new normal, and don’t bail on your training or your project because of a couple of down days.

We have a tendency to focus on our high points and mentally shift our baseline performance expectations to that level. Then, when we experience any stagnation or regression, we quickly start to feel defeated, like we’re not doing what we should be doing.

In order to keep perspective and motivation, we have to step out of our emotional attachment to the outcome and look at the trends over a longer period of time. Instead of judging good and bad days, which can vary widely, look at your average performance. Or compare your first day outside this year with the first days of previous years. Or the first campus session of this training cycle with the first campus session from you last cycle. (This is another example of how tracking your performance can help you over time.)

Don’t judge the day-to-day ups and downs, they don’t tell you much at all about your long-term performance.

To play with some anecdotal data, let’s say I have one amazing day out of every four. This means I have 3 average– or low-performance days, days where I struggle or don’t hit the previous day’s high point. If I focus my attention and energy on this, it means that I am always underperforming, always failing to achieve what I expect from myself. This will have a huge impact on my long-term performance because it influences my behavior, my psyche, my motivation. Maybe next time I won’t dig as deep or try as hard. I might even give up.

We can’t focus on the day-to-day like day traders, we need a long-term perspective, the Buffet approach (as in Warren): review the fundamentals, make a plan, and stick to the program.

The market has sayings like “pick right and hold tight” and “the trend is your friend” for a reason.

Don’t let your emotions derail your training. Step back and find (and track) the right indicators to judge your performance. Moreover, don’t take yourself too seriously, make it fun, and enjoy the ride on the emotional rollercoaster of climbing season.