Comparison is something every climber experiences… but very few people understand how to use it properly.

In this episode, I break down the difference between ego-driven comparison and curiosity-driven comparison - and why one holds you back, while the other can accelerate your progress.

I share my own experiences with comparison throughout my climbing journey, including how it affected me after climbing Hubble, and how a shift in perspective changed the way I approach both climbing and performance.

We explore why comparison isn’t actually the problem - and how it can become one of the most powerful tools you have when used correctly.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• Why comparison isn’t something you need to avoid
• The difference between ego-driven and curiosity-driven comparison
• How ego can quietly shift you from learning… to proving something
• The signs that comparison is negatively affecting your performance
• How to reset in the moment and return to your process
• Why comparison often reflects something deeper in your mindset or lifestyle
• How to use comparison as a tool to improve your climbing

Key Takeaway:

Comparison isn’t the enemy.

Ego-driven comparison creates pressure and pulls you away from the process.

Curiosity-driven comparison creates clarity and helps you improve.

The goal isn’t to stop comparing - it’s to make sure comparison is working for you, not against you.

Coaching:

If this episode resonates with you and you want a more structured, diagnosis-led approach to your climbing, I offer Integrated Performance Coaching.

We look at your climbing as a whole - physical, technical, tactical, mental, and lifestyle - to identify your real limiter and move performance forward.

Get in touch or apply via: 👉 matwrightcoaching.com

Podcast:

If you enjoyed this episode, please consider leaving a review or sharing it with someone who would benefit from it.

It really helps the podcast grow and reach more climbers.

Most climbers never actually find their limit.

Not because they’re not strong enough… but because they never fully commit to the process required to discover it.

In this episode, I break down what it really takes to climb at your limit - and why projecting isn’t just something you do, but a skill you need to learn.

I'll cover:

• Why fear of failure quietly holds people back
• The difference between commitment and attachment
• Why many climbers are physically capable of more than they realise
• How projecting exposes your true limitations
• The biggest mistakes people make when working routes
• And how to actually build towards a redpoint with structure and intent

I also share my own experiences projecting routes like Rainshadow and Free at Last - including the frustrations, setbacks, and the reality of spending dozens of sessions on something that may or may not go.

If you’ve ever felt stuck, unsure whether you’re capable of more, or frustrated with your progress outdoors… this episode will help you understand why.

If this episode resonates with you, and you want a more structured and integrated approach to your climbing. I help climbers improve real outdoor performance by looking at the full picture - physical, technical, tactical, mental, and lifestyle - so we can identify what’s actually holding you back.

You can also sign up to the newsletter on my website to get a free copy of The Road Map, where I break down the key areas of climbing performance and how to start making progress with more clarity.

Matwrightcoaching.com

In this episode, I talk about one of the most personal and uncomfortable parts of my climbing journey - what happened after I achieved one of my biggest goals.

For years, I built a huge part of my identity around climbing Hubble. It was a dream that gave me direction, purpose, and structure. But when I finally did it, what I felt wasn’t fulfilment.

It was relief.

What followed was burnout, pressure, confusion, and a loss of direction that I kept quiet about for a long time.

In this episode, I explore the relationship between identity and performance, why ambition can become unhealthy when your self-worth depends on outcomes, and how fear of failure and the need for external validation can quietly shape the way we climb.

I also talk about:

• why motivation naturally fluctuates
• how structure reduces cognitive noise and helps create a clearer head
• how performance anxiety often comes from living too far in the future
• why success doesn’t always give you what you thought it would
• and how changing my relationship with climbing helped me find a healthier path forward

This is the first time I’ve spoken openly about this part of my journey.

If any of this resonates with you, and you feel like your identity has become tangled up in your climbing, this is something I often help clients work through as part of my remote coaching.

If you’d like help finding a clearer path forward, feel free to reach out.