Strong Mind Rethinking Bravery – Strong Mind Session with Hazel and Angus
Dec 20, 2025
What does bravery truly mean in climbing? Hazel and Angus delve into the nuances of courage, challenging traditional views. They explore how ego and social fears shape our climbing experiences, revealing different types of bravery beyond just physical risks. The conversation emphasizes the importance of vulnerability and mental resilience in overcoming fear and performance pressure. They also advocate for a deeper understanding of bravery that values internal struggles, ultimately arguing for a more holistic approach to mental training.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Bravery Is Narrowly Defined In Climbing
- Climbing culture often equates bravery with risky physical outcomes like bold, runout climbs.
- Hazel Findlay says this narrow view ignores many mental resilience forms and can be limiting.
Historical Roots Shape What We Call Brave
- Outcome-focused bravery evolved because tribes valued physical-risk heroics for survival.
- Hazel Findlay links historical and patriarchal influences to why physical bravery is prized.
Nonphysical Bravery Is Often Invisible
- Focusing only on physical risk erases socially and emotionally brave acts like vulnerability.
- Hazel says Tim Emmett's sport-project required huge mental resilience despite low physical danger.
