Know when to hold them and when to fold them

You may be reading this title going; what in the heck is she talking about with this phrase?! Others can tell you with a simple google search about the meaning behind these phrases. And then, of course, there are the exceptional people out there (typically fans of the song) who will say, “why that’s from that Kenny Rogers’ song the Gambler!” 

Regardless of how you know this phrase, it’s the meaning behind it that will always stick with you the most. Knowing when to hold them and when to fold them is more than just a catchy life analogy; it’s all about knowing your limitations. Therefore, let’s climb this summit together to understand how I know when to hold them and when to fold them and how you can too.

I always have a plan and alternate plans. 

Having a well thought out plan is usually a factor in seeing greater success on the goal or plan you want to complete. Especially when it comes to mountain climbing, it’s crucial to have a well thought out plan. For me, I understand that having a well thought out plan to begin with, can keep you safe from the elements you will encounter during your climb. Nonetheless, even when we have a well thought out plan, circumstances beyond our control can still happen. Pushing yourself beyond limits can have negative consequences. Understanding that you may need to have a plan B included or may need to take better stock of the situation you are faced with is essential for better knowing our limitations.

I always tune into my mind and body to know my limits. 

Let’s be honest with each other here; summit fever is a real thing. The adrenaline rush of climbing a mountain and the opportunity to reach the summit is euphoric. Keeping this in mind, given our minds are enjoying the lovely adrenaline and endorphin highs while climbing a mountain, sometimes people tend to push themselves beyond their physical limits. The obsession of reaching the summit during your climb can cause you a great deal of physical harm, even if your mind is all for it. For instance, when I was climbing Broad Peak, I set particular plans and goals in order to keep myself safe. 

I always trust my intuition. 

On top of setting specific plans, tuning into my mind plus body, and knowing my limits, I also always trust my intuition above all else. As a mother of 7, I like to think that my mother’s instinct is very high, but in climbing mountains, I have to use my intuition in more significant and new ways. Referring back to my time at Broad Peak, I trusted my intuition the most. I gave myself a precise plan of which if I couldn’t summit by 2 pm, I was going to turn around. 

Ultimately, by setting this intention and trusting in my intuition, when the ropes were not set at 11:30 am, I knew that they wouldn’t be placed by 2 pm. Instead of pushing myself and my body further to reach the summit, I instead went back down. Did others in the group reach the summit? Yes, but not until closer to 5:30 pm that day and then descended back down the mountain. Unfortunately, some of those on the descent ended up with frostbite, and 1 person lost their life. While some may look at me going back down as a failure, I look in the eyes that I didn’t get stuck waiting for a rescue on the mountain nor ended up with frostbite. 

Mountain climbing is a physical gamble, so knowing your plan, body, and intuition will keep you safe is key to survival. Knowing when to hold them is when you know your limits are obtainable. And if all you reach that limit knowing it could be too dangerous for you, knowing that it is okay to fold them doesn’t mean you have failed. The mountain will always be there, so one failed attempt does not mean you have only 1 shot; it just means it’s easier to take yourself out of the game for that round than lose everything.