The Enormocast

Chris Kalous: Climber, Host of the Enormocast, lover

[Cole South @ColeSouth]

One of the most impactful sentences I’ve ever heard was on a podcast with a professional rock climber I looked up to.

The host (@enormocast) asked him if he gets scared of heights while climbing.

I expected to hear something like, “occasionally on a really exposed snd difficult route.” Instead he said, “yes, literally every time I tie into the rope, even on an easy lap in the gym.”

This was mind-blowing to me at the time. I was a pretty mediocre intermediate climber, and I felt like my fear of heights was paralyzing and holding me back. I assumed elite climbers had conquered fear.

There was something liberating about hearing this climber say he was scared. It made me feel empowered to manage fear, rather than feel like a little bitch for experiencing it in the first place.

Since then, I’ve noticed this in many disciplines. I’ve talked to world champion Jiu Jitsu athletes who say they are scared every time they step onto the competition mats. I know poker pros who have a terrifying table presence but admit they’re intimidated by opponents when they sit down at a high stakes game.

The bad news is that for most of us, this fear or anxiety is never going to go away. But the good news is that you can stop trying to make it disappear. There’s relief in knowing that. Instead you can try to manage and direct it.

Coming to this realization was huge for me. I stopped spending my energy trying to crush those feelings and started working on trying to turn negatives into positives (or at least less negative ha).

The two things that have worked the best for me are:

1. Trying to redirect anxiety into excitement
2. Practicing gratitude

Repeating the mantra “excited and grateful” is my go-to whether it’s public speaking, competing in a Jiu Jitsu tournament, or just getting into a social anxiety inducing setting. It’s hard for me to say those 3 words without feeling a little smile and pump of energy.

Anyways this concept might seem super obvious to some people, but hearing that rock climber say he was scared really flipped my mindset on fear and anxiety.

At this point I can’t even remember who the climber was. Crazy how an off-hand comment like that (I’m sure the climber didn’t think anything of it) can be something so impactful that I keep coming back to a decade later.

[Andrew Bisharat @EveningSends]

Attn climbers: This is a great way to support Maui https://t.co/ncjZa418ij

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@LoisLowe_ Haha. Do it! I think he was all over the place. I feel like he disagreed with himself at times. Fits with his personality and life, I think. Not holding ones utterances too sacrosanct , repeated circling and re-examining.

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@bepitropakis I’m sure that way more than 2 have deserved it.

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@bepitropakis Shorts!?! My god! You harlot!

[Andrew Bisharat @EveningSends]

A piece I wrote about fixed gear in the mountains, climate change, a whacky mayor, and a legendary alpinist was published by @outsidemagazine a few days ago! Here it is https://t.co/3ah4WR4wT4

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@trish_zornio Give us a little if that on the Western Slope, please. So dry already!

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@bepitropakis 💥

[Andrew Bisharat @EveningSends]

New episode of The RunOut is up! Sav Cummins opens up about adventure, storytelling and grief. Don’t miss it! 🙌

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@LoisLowe_ @EveningSends I feel like it’s particularly Canadian. Even in winter, the sun comes out in CO and it warms up a bit. Margo Talbot’s early years exemplify the Canadian Ice DB pretty spot on!

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@LoisLowe_ Thanks! Just wait for the bonus where we talk about Steve’s hangboard routine!

[Andrew Bisharat @EveningSends]

New bonus episode of The RunOut is up for patrons! It’s movie night and we are watching The Ledge ⁦@enormocast⁩ https://t.co/q68x8I6cpx

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

Lindsey Hamm’s Xmas poop story and Flea story from Episode 259 coming full circle.

[Flea @flea333]

More rock star glamour: walked to Target to get nail clippers and nose hair trimmer. Employees were right on me asking for selfies and telling me they love me. Two minutes later I get hit with a major urge to take a shit. They tell me bathroom is downstairs, I go there but ten people in line, I’m about to soil my trousers. I go to employees and plead, please can I use employees bathroom they say no employees only. I run across the street to some cafe and ask to use bathroom (on the way there a guy waiting outside tells me I’m an asshole for not stopping to take a selfie with him) the cafe lady threatens to call security on me for politely asking for bathroom. I made it by the skin of my teeth to a restaurant a few blocks away. Back to hotel to practice trumpet.

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

Just posted a photo https://t.co/1c6iTF0ivm

[Foolish_Professional @foolish_prof]

Finally got around to listening to TAPS. @enormocast either needs to apologize for having dum-dum takes or publicly petition Eric Hurst to retitle his book "How to Climb 5.12a". Anything in between is just silly.

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

From Texas cheerleader to Alpine badass, @hamminator2017 has stories to tell on the latest Enormocast. Photo 2: @samfromflatland https://t.co/8nVc8roViQ

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

Just posted a photo https://t.co/bWmwCs3JVs

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@bepitropakis In the words of revered Canadian rockers Loverboy: "Get it up, keep it up!"

[The Enormocast @enormocast]

@edburmila @GarbageApe I think his lung's fucked up

[Andrew Bisharat @EveningSends]

Psyched to share this trailer for "Resistance Climbing, a feature length film about rock climbing in #Palestine that is appearing in this year's @REELROCKTour.