I am an amateur rock climber…very amateur. It’s not for everyone, I know. But what is interesting about rock climbing is it puts you smack in the middle of a discussion between your “afraid-self” and your “courageous-self”. Alex Honnold, famed for climbing Yosemite’s El Capitan without ropes, candidly talks about this discussion and how he talked his “afraid-self” into trusting his abilities.
Is fear always something to conquer?
There is a fine line between fear as the voice of a wise consultant and the voice of an insecure mother. In other words, sometimes fear is something you should conquer and sometimes it’s something you should heed. Sadly, some fantastic athletes have died by choosing wrong.
Alex Honnold the Humble Hero
I am sharing this TED talk more because I am fascinated by Honnold’s composure, discipline and wisdom. What’s more, I think his experience creates an interesting context for a very different type of discussion about fear.
Pre discussion
- Have you ever done anything that made you afraid?
- How did you overcome your fear?
- What are risks worth taking?
The Video: TED with Alex Honnold
- What are all the elements that Honnold does to prepare for this feat (do a Mind Map)?
- What did he do to overcome his fears?
- Why was he not satisfied after he completed his climb?
- What are the elements that go into “mastery”?
- Do you master anything?