Alex Honnold on Managing Fear & Living on the Edge

Our guest on today’s episode is Alex Honnold, the legendary professional rock climber whose free-solo ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most recognizable climbers in the world. 

Alex has a legendary mindset and an ability to push past fear that has enabled him to make a career out of climbing without a rope to protect him if he falls. If you’ve seen Free Solo, the Oscar-winning documentary that highlights his unassisted, free solo climb of El Capitan, then you know just how incredible that accomplishment was. 

Alex is a humble and hard-working guy who has found unparalleled success in a sport that requires him to risk death with every step he takes. He was never the strongest or fastest climber, and it wasn’t until he dropped out of college and spent a year living in his van in between climbs that Alex began to develop the resilience that has made him the greatest free solo climber ever.

 

He is also the host of the recently developed “Climbing Gold” podcast, which takes listeners on a tour through the history and evolution of climbing, from the early days of the lunatic fringe to today’s new generation of athletes. Check out Alex's Climbing Gold Podcast here.

This is a fascinating conversation about overcoming fear and loss on the way to finding your passion, and we think you’ll all enjoy hearing Alex’s incredible story in his own words. Let’s go!