Carrots and Sticks of Throughhiking, was Re: [at-l] Why?

["Thomas McGinnis" <tmcginnis@ucclan.state.in.us>]

>>> <bullard@northnet.org> 02/14/00 10:48PM >>>
At 06:58 PM 2/14/00 +0000, Paul A Magnanti wrote: When I thru-hiked the
>AT, it was not for the newspaper article in the local paper, it was not
>for what people sitting behind a keyboard many miles away from what  the
>AT may think, it was not for my friends and family to be proud. 
>
This is interesting. One trick for motivating yourself to go through with a
difficult project is to publicly commit to doing it. The more people know
the bigger the embarrassment if you don't follow through. 
##########Sloetoe climbs in with:
Motivations come in the form of carrots AND sticks. Much of this current thread has been with regard to the carrots of throughhiking, and what happens when the carrots loose their attractiveness. Saunterer notes the stick(s) of throughhiking motivations.

Life on the trail is not always rosey. We all know of the hardships, and complain of them when appropriate, but when discussing the decision to continue a throughhike or to quit (in circumstances not driven by health concerns or other exigencies), we all seem to focus on the carrots, and to shy away from discussing the sticks. This is a loss, in my opinion.

"Shame" ("How dare he even speak the WORD!!!!") can keep you on the trail, even if it was only partially responsible for getting you vaingloriously on the trail in the first place. I know my own experience is not unique: I was a young man, looking to "prove" myself (to myself (sure), but more to others). My knowledge of the AT, and expectations about throughhiking, were limited (the amount of info available today is 100 fold better). When the carrot(s) for my hike lost their "zip," I called home, and was informed by my Mom that "We're all so proud of what you've done, and you just stay right there," and she'd send my money for a bus ticket, and... And that scared the crap right out of me. (Thus, even though I'd lost my carrot motivations to pull me up the trail, I'd gotten a major poke from the very sharp stick of...<dramatic pause> SHAME.) I said Noooo, I'd hike to the next trail town, and then it was to the next state, then it was "I'll walk home" to CT, then the goal returned to be Katahdin. But for a while I REALLY wanted to quit. What screwed it up was that it was so easy — and then I suddenly found myself not in a phone booth calling home, but back in CT talking with my friends, with my family. Ugh! Screw THAT. Those'd be conversations I DON'T need to have!

Your motivations (push *or* pull) for starting the hike will most probably *change* in the course of your hike. As they change, there may be periods of *sublime* discomfort, where your carrots don't attract, and the sticks are extra sharp — or even worse, where the sticks just don't hurt anymore. You're absolutely empty inside. Expect these days might come to you, and don't avoid them, because you can't work through the changes in your motivations without first recognizing their current shortcomings. And this whole process may take weeks.

If you have the physical ability to stay on the trail, the trail will not fail you. Your motivation may come from the same place as when you started; it may come from some completely unexpected direction — which may take weeks(!!!) to reveal itself. Have faith. Nobody ever stepped on top of Katahdin and said "Gee, *that* was a big waste of time." Can you be the first? 

Love, hugs, kisses, and a boot in the rear,
Sloe Motivatoe.

ps: hope I said this better then it reads.



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