In this episode, Alex Honnold, the world-renowned free solo climber, shares his unique approach to managing fear, his journey to climbing El Capitan, and his perspective on success and values.
He discusses his techniques for staying calm in high-stress situations, his approach to risk and consequence, and how he harnesses his feelings of angst to achieve his goals.
Risk and Consequence
Honnold distinguishes between risk and consequence.
He explains that the odds of failing on the TED stage were higher than falling while climbing, which is why he was more afraid of the former.
The embarrassment of failing publicly can feel as severe as the fear of death.
Climbing El Capitan
The journey to free soloing El Capitan, a granite rock mountain over 3,000 feet high, was a gradual process for Honnold.
Over six years, he became more comfortable with the idea through continuous exposure and practice.
Purpose of Climbing
Honnold compares his passion for climbing to any other profession.
He does it because he enjoys it, feels good at it, and believes he can contribute in some way.
He acknowledges that climbing doesn’t directly help anyone but sees it as pushing human potential and exploring the unknown.
Harnessing Angst
Honnold discusses how he harnesses his feelings of angst to achieve his goals.
He mentions the rich history of climbers using personal struggles, such as devastating breakups, to fuel their climbing ambitions.
I’ve often tried to sort of harness that angst or that general feeling of like I should be doing more or achieving or whatever and basically like harness that to do the things that I want to do. – Alex Honnold
Mastering Fear
Fear is a universal emotion, but Alex Honnold has developed unique strategies to manage and compartmentalize it.
This nuanced relationship with fear allows him to undertake daring climbs without the safety of ropes or harnesses.
Inspiration from ‘Free Solo’
The film ‘Free Solo’ inspired people to challenge themselves in their own fields, rather than take up free soloing.
Honnold was surprised to find that people were motivated to sign up for marathons or start long-procrastinated projects after watching the film.
Fear of Success and Public Speaking
Despite his calm demeanor while climbing, Honnold shares his fear of success, particularly in relation to his achievement of climbing El Capitan, and his fear of public speaking, which he faced when giving a TED Talk.
Experiencing Flow
Honnold experiences a state of flow while climbing, a psychological term for being fully immersed in an activity with a feeling of energized focus.
He attributes this to his high level of skill and the challenge that climbing presents.
Variety in Climbing
The variety inherent in climbing keeps Honnold engaged.
When he hits a plateau in one aspect of climbing, he can shift his focus to a different aspect, which often benefits his overall skill level.
I care about projects that help populations and the help the global environment and things like that but I really have never cared that much about individual like… I care about the bigger picture sort of things. – Alex Honnold
Effective Altruism
Honnold’s financial approach aligns with the principles of effective altruism.
He believes in donating his money to causes that can make a significant impact, rather than focusing on individual cases.
Internal Pressure
Honnold talks about the internal pressure and expectations he faces while free solo climbing.
He has the freedom to choose when and where to climb, and if he feels uncomfortable, he can back down without any external pressure.
Universalism over Benevolence
Honnold’s value system leans more towards universalism than benevolence.
He cares more about humanity and the planet than helping specific individuals, which is reflected in his foundation’s support for solar projects around the world.
