Game Changers with Molly Fletcher How to Push Past Fear with Pro Climber Emily Harrington
Dec 4, 2025
Emily Harrington, professional climber and adventurer known for summiting Everest and free-climbing El Capitan, shares why she seeks hard things. She talks about reframing failure, building confidence through discomfort, and mantras for managing fear. Conversations cover balancing ambition with parenthood and how trying itself becomes the goal.
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Multiple Attempts Before Success
- Emily described her multiple attempts and eventual success on El Capitan as part of a long growth curve.
- She emphasized that the wall is the gold-standard achievement many climbers aspire to.
Surreal High Followed By Slump
- After summiting El Cap in under 24 hours, Emily felt surreal relief mixed with disbelief and a later emotional slump.
- Watching the film years later allowed her to feel proud and reprocess the achievement.
Why El Capitan Became Her Goal
- Emily Harrington traced her motivation to Lynn Hill and the historical significance of free-climbing El Capitan in under 24 hours.
- She set the goal as a natural progression after years of climbing toward that gold-standard wall.
