Solo climber with 'zero fear' in his brain scan explains why his extreme risks are safer than yours
A celebrity now, Honnold came from a hard life, living in his car and getting by with just a few hundred dollars to spare.
If you had to look down before you go sky diving, you’ll likely feel a wave of fear shrivel you up. Somehow, that fear feels like death. Or as many might say, it’s too risky. Free solo climber Alex Honnold, who has made his way up thousands of feet, functions a tad differently, according to Yahoo. The expert appeared on the “Diary of a CEO” podcast and shared that his death-like risk is still better and safer than the risk most of us go through in everyday life. In the clip shared on February 19, the climber talks about the logic behind his adventures, and it's got us rethinking our life choices.
Speaking with the host, Steve Bartlett, Honnold revealed that his brain scans show lower amygdala activation, indicating that his response to fear isn’t the same as others. To him, it's not the science and the scans that matter; it’s just perspective. Honnold came from a hard life, living in his car and getting by with just a few hundred dollars to spare. When he initially started climbing, even he was scared stiff. Citing a 2017 experience in Antarctica, he noted he, too, was initially scared of the heights and depths he was exposed to.
When asked what helped him manage and overcome this fear, along with breathing and other exercises, he noted that perspective is important. He simply revealed that he looks at risk differently than most people. “It drives me crazy that nobody else thinks about risk in this way,” he remarked. Sure, climbing up a mountain is scary but so is a lot of stuff that we do in our everyday lives. According to the climber, risk is practically everywhere; we’re just not conscious of it, and somehow that becomes our cage. “At least I’m taking the risks that I’m choosing,” he pointed out. Each of his adventures comes after a well-planned itinerary, practice, and action.
Many take risks they don’t even know they’re taking. For instance, drinking and driving, sitting at home all day, not exercising, the list goes on. Though we feel like climbing a building might be crazy, it’s likely that the job that’s draining you is crazier. Or even the toxic relationship you’re refusing to get out of. “How many people in normal life actually think through all the risks that they're taking?” he asked. There’s risk in almost everything, but Honnold would rather choose his risk and get something out of it while being exposed to it.
“You’re still going to die anyway,” he says. So you may as well choose something you care about instead of putting up stuff because of a hundred other conditions. Dr. Margie Warrell, speaker and leadership advisor, revealed the benefits of taking risks, according to Forbes. She noted that risk is the difference between just surviving and actually thriving. Our brain is naturally wired to seek familiarity and function on routine. However, when we take risks, it pushes us to show courage. This courage is noted to help in different aspects of life — work, relationships, and even personality development. So choose your risk, it's inevitable anyway.
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