by Diane Spicer
I feel kind of silly talking about hiking motivation whenever someone asks me why I hit the trail every week.
For me, hiking is an inbuilt need, a drive, an absolute "must have" in large doses.
And it's been that way pretty much since my teens.
So when people ask me how I stay motivated, I feel like a fraud giving them advice.
I've never explored the landscape of finding motivation as a hiker (get the little hiking joke there?).
But rather than share that unhelpful factoid, I try to dig deep into my memory banks for areas where I'm NOT motivated: taking a calculus or physics course, for instance.
Or scrubbing the kitchen floor.
I've done those things, because I knew they were important.
Did I enjoy them?
No!
Which gets me to my next point:
If you have to motivate yourself to hike, maybe you should explore other sports.
If hiking is a (pick one):
... then maybe you're a hiker by name but not by heart.
And it's not really motivation that's the problem.
It's ATTITUDE.
Never underestimate the power of a good attitude when approaching a hiking goal.
I've observed lots of hikers, in many different settings and groups.
And I've noticed that they fall into 3 general categories in terms of attitude.
Which translates into their level of motivation for hiking, and their ability to motivate others to hike.
Let's peek at these hikers to see if any of them are able to motivate you to keep going on a tough hike, or come back for more.
Out in front, taking the lead on every decision, knowing exactly what should be done or how many miles to go before stopping... have you met these folks on the trail?
Their posture shouts "I'm the leader!"
If you're a hiker just starting out, beginning to gain skills and confidence, these are the folks you should be hiking with.
Learn from them, listen to their words. Watch their actions.
These alpha hikers attempt to motivate others through sheer force of will, using emphatic gestures and words like "must" and "will" to get you back to the trail head.
Bonus: You can take comfort in their knowledge base if something goes wrong.
Their motivation for being on the trail?
Go with the flow hikers are glad to be part of the herd, happy to go as far or as short of a distance as you'd like, content to take pictures or soak their feet in a cold pool at the base of the waterfall.
This type of hiker is great in a group setting, where the route has been laid out, someone else is keeping track of the turn around time, and the weather is good.
So don't hike only with other followers, if that's you. It could be risky.
Their motivation for hiking?
This brings us back to hiking motivation.
I find the alpha type of hiker lacking in the ability to easily motivate other hikers.
The second type of hiker, the follower, is also unable to generate hiking motivation for others.
Well, there must be some middle ground, or I wouldn't have told you there were 3 categories, right?
Time to introduce the...
Sometimes you lead, sometimes you follow.
Both have their places on the trail.
Deferring gracefully to someone else is a beautiful attribute to have, when it's called for.
Standing firm, putting forth your knowledge when it's essential for navigation, insisting on safety margins - also beautiful attributes.
And confident individualists have perfected the fine art of discerning how to choose the appropriate route (another little hiking pun - sorry).
Can an individualist motivate anyone else?
I have proof that they can.
I have been in groups of 10+ people and watched this type of hiker step up to the task of getting every tired, dirty, wet and hungry person safely to the camp site just before dark.
How?
These hikers are the folks I admire.
They know that sometimes people get themselves into uncomfortable situations:
It takes skill to walk the line between bludgeoning these folks with common sense for their own good, and cutting them too much slack.
Individualist hikers know how to walk that line, with grace and a calm demeanor.
Their motivation for hiking with others?
Now you've seen 3 approaches to the trail, and you must have drawn a few conclusions about hiking motivation.
Here's the thought I'd like to leave you with:
Hiking motivation needs to be internal first.
The thoughts that routinely play in our own heads will determine how we lead others to do the right thing on the trail, even when it's hard or unpopular:
And that's when you'll know which type of hiker you really are.
Do you give orders, give up, or give your expertise?
Any of these may be appropriate, but it depends on the situation.
And here's a fact: You will need to use at least one of these styles on yourself if the going gets tough on a hiking trail.
It pays to think about which one you align with naturally, so you can step out of character to get the job done when the time comes.
Try all 3 approaches to hiking motivation, and see which one feels best.
Or take a hike with a leader from each of the three types (although finding a hiking group led by a follower might be an oxymoronic challenge).
Which situation motivated you to enjoy the hike? Or to help others on the trail?
Great facts to have about yourself!
You can read more about social hiking here.
Home page > Best Hiking Tips > Hiking Motivation
Hiking For Her's weekly emails keep you current on hiking & backpacking news. Free, fast, fun info for you, every week of the year. Use the box below for fast sign up! |
|
Plus, there's never enough room in the newsletter to share it all, so why miss out on exclusive Hiking For Her giveaways, limited time gear deals and discounts, freebies, updates, and more?
A short, info packed weekly email update will keep you current on all things hiking!
When you sign up to receive this update, you are agreeing to Hiking For Her's privacy policy.
Don't miss out!
Read more about these hiking weekly updates
|
Photo credits: All photos on this website were taken by David Midkiff or Diane Spicer. All rights reserved. |
As an Amazon Associate, Hiking For Her earns from qualifying purchases.