[at-l] Self Doubt (How to help a Newbie: Update 4 - Part II)

[rafe.bustin@verizon.net (rafe.bustin@verizon.net)]

On 11 Apr 2002 at 16:25, AHuthmaker@aol.com wrote:

> In a message dated 4/11/02 2:57:41 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
> rafe.bustin@verizon.net writes:
> 
> <<   I can't tell you what it takes to 
>  succeed.  I can tell you why I didn't:  I simply lost interest.  
>  The ratio of enjoyment to effort wasn't enough to sustain 
>  the quest. >>
> 
> First, let me say that as one who has never backpacked for a serious amount 
> of time, my opinion here could be quite worthless *S*.  
>     However, I think you have hit on the most important reason why people 
> succeed or don't.  It seems to be that a thru hike cannot be based on the 
> emotions brought about by your usual adventures.  The excitement that comes 
> from undertaking something new and big just simply cannot be sustained for 
> sixth months.  So the question is, what mind set does work?   What about 
> taking the approach that this is a job?  It's not supposed to be full of fun 
> and adventure.  I am interested to know if some of you serious long-distance 
> hikers think of it that way?


Very, very interesting.  As my attitude went downhill, I observed 
that my hike had many of the attributes of a job.  Like the 9-to-5 
kind.  Like, "not fun."  And it occurred to me that I had set out to 
have fun, that fun was a pretty high priority.  After all, if I'd wanted 
a job, I wouldn't have quit a perfectly good one in order to do my 
hike.  I had spent two months traveling 700 miles.  I didn't see 
the point of spending four more months not having fun, in order to 
prove a point (and to whom?)

Let me tell you...  there have been regrets.  I cried for hours and 
hours as I was actually leaving the trail.  And in the years since, 
I often wished I'd pushed myself harder to continue.


rafe b.
aka terrapin