Desired Attitudes of Candidates taking SNCS and SNAS L1, L2, L3

I am making my personal stand in this post while I am NOT an instructor licensed by any climbing association... so take it with a big pinch of salt.

I've started sport climbing in March 2015, and I've been reading fairly voraciously for a non-instructor... have been observing safety lapses and such... which leads me to pen down a fantasy creed that all newbies and old birds should adhere by...

I affirm that:

- upon attaining the course certificate/card, I will always endeavour to keep on striving to be the safest possible belayer and climber, for no one card will mean I am infallible.

- I will always strive to read up more, watch more and learn more techniques in rescue as well as self-rescue, for shit could always happen, just that no one knows when it would happen.

- I will learn from best practices of major associations (IFMGA, AMGA, ACMG etc) and apply where applicable their best practices in climbing, wherever I may climb, and always aim to improve my technical skill set.

- I will not assume that whatever practices I've learnt in the courses means I will not screw up when I use them in real life.

I cannot remember where I came across this line in one way or another - it's not about being able to fly the plane that's the most important.... but being able to make the best decisions given the situation when things DO go wrong... think of the emergency landing on the Hudson River in 2009...

So please DO take rescue and self-rescue very seriously.