What’s the Goal of a Melody? 

Hi , 

I’ve been thinking a lot about processes and outcomes - and how we balance the two - and I came across this quote:

"Not every end is the goal. The end of a melody is not its goal, and yet if a melody has not reached its end, it has not reached its goal."

 – Friedrich Nietzsche

We’ve all heard the clichéd phrase “It’s all about the process”, often plastered across pro climbers’ Instagram posts after they send their latest project (I’ll admit, I’m guilty of this too). But let’s be real - we’d be bummed if we never sent.

Some mindset coaches preach detachment from the outcome, urging us to focus more on the process (again, guilty as charged). Then some take it even further, arguing that any real attachment to the end goal is just a reflection of your ego. Yet, I remember doing a podcast with Adam Ondra where he looked me in the eye and said, with undeniable passion and sincerity, “I LOVE to send.” That didn’t sound like ego at all because it's fun to achieve things and get to the point of natural completion where we can feel confident and proud. 

So, is it about the process or the send?

This quote highlights a really nuanced truth: neither the process nor the outcome makes sense without the other. Sure, the point of a melody isn’t just to reach its end, and the point of climbing isn’t simply to clip the chains. But without the end, the entire experience loses its coherence.

In climbing, getting to the top - although not the point - is the logical conclusion of a climb. While it’s true that we learn a lot and experience profound joy without ticking off the climb, those moments of flow - those times when everything clicks - often occur precisely because our efforts are directed towards a goal. Without that focus, flow might remain out of reach. Climbing is, in part, a great sport because it has clear goals. 

Hazel Findlay jamming on Concepcion in Moab, Utah. Photo: Cameron Meier 

Some of my most memorable moments in climbing have happened just before I fell. Even then, my efforts were fully aligned with the goal of sending. Had they not been, I doubt I would have accessed that same level of presence, engagement and flow. 

All that said, the ‘clear goals’ of climbing often suck climbers into a mindset of valuing outcomes so much that they lose sight of why they started climbing in the first place. Climbers tie their outcomes to their identity and self-worth. Rather than enhancing experiences, they become tools for comparison, fuelling the ego or damaging self-worth.

Perhaps the real magic lies in holding both the outcome and the process as two sides of a coin - one doesn’t make sense without the other. I think Nietsche’s quote captures this perfectly. As so often in mental training, it’s about bringing awareness to what you value and why. 

What do you think? We love hearing thoughts from our community, so let us know how this lands with you.

We’re super motivated to talk about all things mindset – especially with our new mindset course coming out soon. AND our Strong Mind Program is launching again for a whole new cohort of students. Yes! 

Thanks for your continued support, and remember if you love this newsletter please forward it to a friend – we’re always looking to find new ways to reach more people.

Happy climbing! 

Hazel and the Strong Mind Team