Changing inspirations.

Inspiration is a funny factor: fundamental, but fickle. For the dedicated, passionate climber, it is the finest motivator, true inspiration from amazing lines, intriguing rock, personal tastes, the climbing journey and the challenge of the route, and of course a large dose of anticipated pleasure and fun.

It's certainly what drives me. That and the inscrutable exhortations of my soul, of course.

What makes it curious is that I can define, write down, and explicate my inspirations, but they are still an opaque driving force. Recognising and admitting I am inspired by X doesn't mean I'll do X and it doesn't mean the inspiration will last and it doesn't mean that when I'm ready or able to do X that I'll actually want to then. A goal may be set down but it is not set in stone, the whole point of inspiration is to follow it, not to dictate it.

Thus in recent months my motivations have changed from esoteric mileage to bouldering circuits to hidden grit gems to highballs / solos to general rest and finally to bouldering projects and proper trad. I had vague plans and desires over the winter which I pretty much entirely failed to do, and now I feel more capable of tackling them, I have little or no interest!! And there's a part of me that thinks I'm missing out, that thinks I should be doing what once inspired me....but then I realise it doesn't matter: I'm doing what I'm inspired by NOW, and what I was inspired by THEN is less relevant and warrants no regrets.

So whatever tomorrow's inspiration brings, that will be the one to follow...