A Climber’s Mind with Mat Wright

I’ve always believed that obsession can be one of the most powerful tools in hard climbing. Visualising daily, thinking deeply about a project, and keeping it alive in your mind can create clarity, direction and belief. But this week, a conversation with my friend John made me question whether obsession is always useful. John told me that with his own project, Sufferance, he reached a point where...

In this solo episode, I reflect on the last few weeks of A Climber’s Mind - including why there’s been a short break from the podcast, what I took from my recent conversation with Conrad Caddy, and how my North Wales trip made me think more deeply about determination, grades, pressure and priorities. The episode starts with an honest update on why the podcast had to take a back seat for a couple o...

In this episode, I’m joined by Conrad Caddy to explore the deeper story behind his rapid progression in climbing, including his recent ascent of Superman 8B after only around three years in the sport. Rather than reducing the conversation to talent, strength or genetics, we dig into what that kind of progression actually feels like from the inside: obsession, pressure, identity, movement learning,...

In this episode, I reflect on my recent conversation with Mike Boyd and use it as a starting point to clarify something important about my coaching philosophy. I think some climbers may have interpreted my message as being against physical training - but that isn’t the point at all. Physical training is absolutely crucial if you want to peak. At some point, you have to raise the ceiling, get stron...

In this episode of A Climber’s Mind, I sit down with Mike Boyd for a very honest conversation about climbing, having a newborn baby, career pressure, identity, stress, relationships, money, and what performance looks like when life changes dramatically. We use the conversation almost like a live coaching/diagnostic session. Mike initially felt like endurance might be one of the main things holding...

Over the last couple of months, a lot has changed in my life. I’ve been balancing the start of this podcast alongside a fairly structured training phase, whilst also trying to organise my life and coaching in a much more deliberate way. In the process, I’ve realised how much low-level pressure and friction I’d been carrying around for years without fully noticing it. In this episode, I speak more...

Fear of falling is often treated like a bravery problem. Most climbers think they just need to commit harder, take more practice falls, or become mentally tougher. But in many cases, fear isn’t actually the problem. It’s the symptom. In this episode, I break down why fear of falling is often rooted in poor clarity rather than a lack of courage - and why uncertainty, poor decision-making, bad exper...

Most climbers think progress comes from doing more. More sessions. More effort. More training. But the real difference between good climbers and elite climbers isn’t effort. It’s how that effort is applied. In this episode, I break down: Why trying hard isn’t enough What it actually means to “try well” How mental and physical noise limits your performance A simple execution framework you can apply...

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 c...

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 co...

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, pressur...

Most climbers know what they need to improve. But they still don’t progress. In this episode, I break down what actually comes after diagnosis - and why clarity alone isn’t enough. I talk about: How to turn insight into structured progress Why spreading your effort leads to plateaus The role of lifestyle in performance (and why it’s often ignored) Why your goal should expose your limitation The pr...

What’s really holding a climber back? In this episode, I talk about diagnosis - the process of identifying the real limiter behind poor performance or slow progress. Very often, the thing that looks like the problem is only the symptom. What feels like a strength issue may actually be a problem with observation, execution, tactics, fear, or familiarity. In this episode, I explore: symptoms vs caus...

Why do climbers plateau even when they care deeply and are trying really hard? In this episode of A Climber’s Mind , I explore one of the biggest reasons climbers get stuck: misdiagnosing the real problem. A lot of climbers assume they need more strength, more endurance, or more effort. But often the issue runs deeper. What feels like a physical limitation is often a problem with execution, body p...

Episode 1 – Introduction | A Climber’s Mind In the first episode of A Climber’s Mind , I introduce myself, my journey in climbing, and the ideas behind this podcast. Climbing is often presented as a highlight reel of success, but the reality is very different. Behind every hard ascent are moments of doubt, frustration, reflection and learning. The mental process behind climbing performance is some...