Alex Honnold

Renowned free solo climber Alex Honnold, famous for his groundbreaking ascent of El Capitan without ropes, shares insights on managing fear and motivation. He discusses the psychology of climbing, highlighting how he uses self-talk and visualization to conquer challenges. Honnold reflects on his intrinsic drive and the balance of risk and reward, revealing how facing fear can lead to personal growth. He also humorously explores his everyday decision-making using an alter ego, showcasing the connection between adventure and aligning life choices with values.

Alex Honnold, a global climbing icon and founder of the Honnold Foundation, shares his insights on the balance between extreme sports and fatherhood. He discusses his transformative journey, including a daring 2,600-mile climb of Alaska's Devil's Thumb. The conversation covers his evolving views on risk, environmental activism, and the impact of parenting on personal adventures. With his trademark wit, Alex also tackles listener questions about ethics in climbing and shares humorous anecdotes about life's simple pleasures.

In a captivating dialogue, legendary climber Alex Honnold shares insights into his mental strategies for staying calm while free soloing towering cliffs without ropes. He discusses how fear and risk are essential components of performance, shedding light on the lifesaving balance of ambition and caution, especially in parenting. Honnold also reflects on the transformative power of optimism, mental visualization techniques, and how personal experiences shape his approach to achieving greatness under pressure. His wisdom resonates well beyond the climbing world.

In this engaging conversation, Alex Honnold, history's greatest free solo climber and star of the Oscar-winning documentary, shares the unique mindset that fuels his incredible feats. He delves into the mental strategies necessary for tackling daunting climbs, like El Capitan, without safety ropes. Alex discusses navigating fear, the importance of community, and how family life influences his adventurous spirit. With insights into the balance between risk and responsibility, he inspires listeners to confront their own challenges with courage.

In a captivating chat, Alex Honnold, the legendary free solo climber behind the historic ascent of El Capitan, shares insights into his remarkable journey and the evolution of climbing. He discusses the profound impact of fatherhood on his goal-setting and the balance between ambition and family life. Alex reflects on the challenges of two decades as a pro athlete, competition's role in his career, and how the climbing landscape is changing, especially with technology's arrival. He also highlights his philanthropic journey with the Honnold Foundation and what it means to give back.

Last week I asked you to imagine being attacked by a 9-foot bull shark.This week I invite you to envision climbing the storied 3,600-foot sheer vertical rock face known as El Capitan. The trick? You have to do it without any ropes, harnesses or any protective gear whatsoever. An astonishing prospect, even the tiniest mistake or unexpected intervening variable could cost you your life — a life that hinges moment to moment upon punctilious preparation, meticulous focus, and a preternatural relationship with fear.This is one small aspect of the life of Alex Honnold, a renown professional adventure rock climber whose audacious free-solo ascents of America’s biggest cliffs have made him one of the most masterful and compelling athletes of our generation.An global icon of athletic mastery, the lore of Alex Honnold transcends sport. I imagine many of you have viewed — with palms sweaty and jaw agape — at least one of his many stunning climbing videos. Perhaps you saw him profiled on 60 Minutes, or read profiles about him in the New York Times, National Geographic or Outside and, like me, were left to wonder:How is that even possible? How does that guy do what he does? And more importantly, why?The answer isn’t as elementary as you might imagine. It can't be reduced to simple genetics, strength, drive, or even his most unusual relationship with fear.I think the answer is far more complex and frankly, much much more interesting. Of course, fanatical preparation plays a role. As does his fidelity to incremental progression. His unique kinship with risk is certainly a central factor.But I think what truly sets Alex apart is a profound sense of awe and wonder. An uncanny facility to meld his body and mind with spirit. And the ability to become absolutely one with his quest.Inarguably, what Alex does is both staggering and astonishing. But it's who he is, how he lives, and what he stands for that I find most impressive.Today, we explore all of it.This conversation is everything I wanted it to be. It's about adventure, fear, risk, curiosity, focus, mindset, preparation and the primacy of incremental progression.Over the course of almost two hours we cover his boundary-crushing El Cap solo free climb and his most recent expedition to Antarctica. We discuss his passion for environmental conservation and the benefits of his minimalist lifestyle. And of course we explore his training routines and mostly-vegan diet.But most of all, this is a conversation that not only examines the how behind Alex's feats, but the why behind his pursuits.Thoughtful, deliberate and present, I also found Alex to be quite generous, incredibly curious, and whip smart.For the visually inclined, you can watch watch (& subscribe!) to the podcast on YouTube: http://bit.ly/richandalexI'm grateful for this exchange and I sincerely hope you enjoy it.Peace + Plants,Rich

In this lively discussion, Alex Honnold, the renowned professional rock climber famous for his breathtaking free solo ascent of El Capitan, shares insights into conquering fear. He reveals how mental preparation and support from the climbing community play crucial roles in achieving extraordinary goals. Honnold reflects on the humorous challenges of balancing fame with family life during his adventures. With personal anecdotes and gripping stories, he inspires listeners to discern real fears and pursue their dreams in the great outdoors.

In 2017, Alex Honnold did what even the world’s best rock climbers thought was impossible. He climbed to the top of El Capitan– a granite rock mountain more than 3,000 feet high– without a rope, harness, or net. His audacious feat was the subject of the Oscar-winning documentary “Free Solo,” and it left Adam Grant with some burning questions about what we can learn from his unique approach to managing fear. In this episode of ReThinking, another podcast in the TED Audio Collective, Alex opens up about how he regulates his emotions when he’s hanging on by just a few fingers, what still scares him, and how he stays motivated to pursue ambitious goals. For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/RWAG2. And for more conversations on how the world’s most interesting people think, follow ReThinking with Adam Grant wherever you're listening to this.For the full text transcript, visit go.ted.com/BHTranscriptsFor a chance to give your own TED Talk, fill out the Idea Search Application: ted.com/ideasearch.Interested in learning more about upcoming TED events? Follow these links:TEDNext: ted.com/futureyou Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Joining the conversation is Alex Honnold, the world-renowned rock climber famous for free solo ascents, including the iconic El Capitan. He discusses the elusive flow state that enables peak performance and how rigorous preparation is key to his success. Alex shares insights on navigating fear and the mental techniques he employs during climbs. He reflects on the influence of upbringing on his mindset and emphasizes balancing climbing ambitions with personal life, encouraging listeners to embrace challenges for growth.

In this engaging conversation, Alex Honnold, a legendary rock climber famous for his daring free solo climbs, shares insights from his exhilarating life scaling cliffs without ropes. He discusses the mental and physical challenges of free soloing, including gripping anecdotes from ascents like Half Dome. Honnold emphasizes the importance of inner motivation, the bond with nature, and the balance between risk and caution. Additionally, he touches on his philanthropic efforts with the Honnold Foundation, promoting sustainable solar energy for communities in need.