Climbing saved my life from substance abuse!

Passion Before Paycheck 

Mike:

Location: Denver, CO USA

 

Age: 29

 

I spent the majority of my life being passionate about art and anything creative.  I earned my BFA by 24 and at that point had obtained my current goals.  I was standing at the top of the ‘mountain’ and had no other plan in mind.  What was I going to do, where was I going to go?  I spent the next few years in limbo.  I was living in Washington D.C. ready to start my career.  I sent out some resumes for my desired profession and worked restaurant jobs, went to bars and clubs, picked up girls and lived my second childhood.  

 

For a long time my brother had been trying to sell me on the idea of moving to Colorado.  But why would I want to move out to Colorado?  I wasn’t into that idea.  I was enjoying the emptiness of limbo, one night stands, and living with my mom.   Finally, one night, strung out on a combination of substances, I had an epiphany.  I flushed it all down the toilet, every last pill that I had, including all my medication for ADHD. 

I then made the decision to take a risk it all and go for something unknown.  My brother had bet me $10 that I could not move to Colorado by Labor Day.  This was three months prior.  A few months later I found myself lost in a new state (I collected on that $10 just two days shy of Labor Day) a new direction and I knew in my heart it was the right thing to be doing.   

My brother tried to get me into his passions which were skydiving and snowboarding.  These were not catching my interest at all. I started to remember that I had always wanted to get into climbing, and that I was in a great state to learn.  On the other hand, I was living in Breckenridge, CO.  No one was living there to climb they were all there to be on the slopes which made it hard for me to pursue my passion, so I decided to go it on my own.  I spent the first couple of years teaching myself and spending time with anyone who would go climbing with me. 

 

I have a clear memory of going to Royal Gorge Go Fast Games to see my brother BASE jump.  I also wanted to check out the climbing that was going on.  I told some people at the Bridge that I was interested in learning everything I could about the sport.   Every time I told people about my passion they told me, “You need check out Dean Potter; did you know he was here?” My response was, who’s ‘Dean Potter?’  I kept hearing his name, so I figured I would go talk to him.  I got the chance, and asked him what I could do to learn how to climb.  He was the first person I spoke to, that climbed, who didn’t give me an attitude.  Every one else acted like climbing was some kind of mystical art that I wouldn’t understand the true meaning of.   

 

Anyway, to sum it all up, climbing, like base jumping for others, saved my life.  I got straight into it.  Did the ABS for the first year, went straight into TRAD that spring and after 2 years found myself totally absorbed in the sport.  The fear I have conquered, the drive I have proven to myself, and the goals I have reached through climbing have transferred into the rest of my life.  This has made my entire existence better than I could have imagined a few years ago.  I climb every chance I get. I now have a child on the way, an amazing wife, fulfilling career and it all started from following my passion and keeping this passion apart of my life.  Everything (drugs, substances, distractions) that used to stop me from moving forward in my life has disappeared in the presence of my passion. Thank you for the opportunity to post here.  It has really helped me to write this down and reflect. 

Mike

Mike would like you to visit his site at:  Mountain Project

 

 

 

 

 

What is Passion Before Paycheck and how do I post my passion?