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heard somewhere that climbing is 95% mental and the other 5% is footwork:

How do you gear your mind to focus, leave fear in it's place, and send?
Example: was on a ledge looking up at a roof that was 5.8ish, should have been fairly easy pull but couldn't see any pro for the 15-20 ft to the lip. I don't mind a swing but the idea of smacking into the ledge - "what if the jam slips, rock is too wet, a hold breaks, etc?" started filling my head and i fiddled around quite a while, finally rigged some pro that would probably not have kept me off the ledge and just climbed it. Point is, it was easy enough, why didn't i just ease up it? Do you have to have a little bit of free solo in you - always know your limit? How then do you push your limit without soiling shorts or being stupid? I'm not asking those rare ones who really have no fear, just those who have addressed it. This has obviously been discussed before ( http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtopic.php?t=10907) but I don't have time to take a course. Thanks.

old climbers [A]
bold climbers
[A] intersect = small with high turnover
I don't think the skill to hone is risk management. The skills to hone are safe gear placement and the ability to climb.

Mileage. The more you climb, the more comfortable you are with climbing. Also, pushing yourself when the fall is safe and taking the fall.

That roof was harder. I have alot more courage when I know the gear is good. The rock was wet under there and something was likely to break. Your risk management skills where correct. I think you did well. I wasn't leaving any slack in the rope, just in case. That route is a butt kicker isn't it? There's a few more like it too. Africa and Dicey have second pitches most people don't do.

nice "not so subtle spray" for trog, ynot....way to tag team it....

The way to send that might be climb up, set a good piece, down climb and rest and get the head together. then go for it.
There, is that more subtle piggy? Just answer the question. how do you keep your shit together when you know you can deck?
Trog,you can borrow my copy of Arno's book. might help

truly not worth spraying about, didn't even lead the 1st pitch which was the best; just wondering because it seems most of the time when I downclimb/hang whether it's 5' after the last bolt or start throwing in marginal pro and thrashing it's not because of physical limitation but just loosing nerve. How can you work to make your best lead climbing equal your best top-rope grade? I appreciate the mileage factor, learning better movement, stances, rests, etc. but is that all? Miles=judgement=confidence?

trust in your abilities, take a deep breath, then stop thinking all together and go

krampus wrote:trust in your abilities, take a deep breath, then stop thinking all together and go

yep- focusing on the action is the best way to displace the sketch.

All of the above.