We see all sorts of stories about people climbing Mount Kilimanjaro; they do it for charity, or in memory of a loved one, they do it pretty much naked, and of course they just do it for adventure.

We see celebrity climbs, too. So when New York Mets Pitcher R.A. Dickey climbed Kilimanjaro in December, we thought, “Good for him.”

Turns out it really was!

Dickey, 37, upset his employers with his off-season exploits; they said they would void his multi-million-dollar contract if he got hurt. But guess what? According to the sports blog Bleacher Report,

Climbing the mountain didn’t enhance his pitches or change the way he saw the strike zone. Tackling a challenge like climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro builds confidence, and sometimes confidence is all you need.

The story goes on to say that Dickey is now having his best season ever, has the best record in the National League, and might be an All-Star for the first time in his career.

Now, did climbing Mount Kilimanjaro do all of this? Who knows? But confidence goes a long way, in baseball and in life. And a big part of adventure travel is facing and overcoming your fears to find out what you’re really made of.

Again from the Bleacher Report:

Dickey gained the confidence and strength needed to rectify his career on his journey. Overcoming the elements of altitude sickness, dizziness, nausea and fatigue, he mentally persevered and lifted himself to Africa’s highest peak.

Read all about it here. And go Mets.