Dreaming free solo
Recently, I rewatched Free Solo.
You know, the National Geographic documentary where Alex Honnald shimmies up a cliff-face twice the height of the Empire State Building with nothing but his bare hands and a pocketful of chalk?
Yeah... You probably wanna stop reading right now if you're afraid of heights.
Just kidding. If you stop reading, you'll miss the best part: a striking line from the film that puts big hairy goals within your grasp.
But before I share it, you should know that El Capitan is considered Yosemite Valley’s most fearsome peak and that no-one has braved it ‘free solo’ (that is, without ropes, harnesses or other safety equipment), until Alex.
A passionate climber since scaling the kitchen fridge at age five, Alex describes free soloing El Cap as “a life dream, definitely the biggest inspiration in my whole life.”
“For years,” he says (and this isn’t the line yet), “I thought how amazing it would be to do it but never really thought that I could…. The biggest step was just believing that it’s possible.”
Now, is it just me, or does this sentiment strike you as familiar?
I wonder…
Have you ever struggled to believe in your dreams?
Do you convince yourself (or let others persuade you) that it’s safer to keep your feet on the ground, even if it means living out your years with unfulfilled potential?
If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you might be interested to ponder the following line. It’s the one that jumped out at me in Free Solo.
“My comfort zone,” says Alex, “is like a little bubble around me. I’ve pushed it in different directions and made it bigger and bigger until these objectives that seemed totally crazy eventually fall within the realm of the possible.”
What Alex is saying is that:
Crazy ideas aren’t impossible; they’re just beyond your current comfort zone.
And, if you know a bit about Alex, you’ll know he isn’t a guy that launches himself up a mountain on a whim. He's a fastidious planner with an analytical mind. He approached El Capitan with discipline — spanning a strict diet, morning yoga stretches, rigorous climbing practice, daily journaling, consultation with legendary big wall climbers, and meticulous choreography of his movements up the rockface.
Yes, Alex’s dream was ambitious, but his commitment to planning, practicing and growing proved it was not crazy.
And so, I ask you:
What is your dream?
Contemplating this question is your first step to living a life that is rich with meaning. When you allow yourself to dream:
you set coordinates that guide robust decisions and behaviour
you open up opportunities to push the boundaries of your comfort zone so you can grow
you save yourself years (even decades) of time and energy that might have be misspent moving in the wrong direction.
Just so you know, not only did Alex fulfil his personal dream of ascending El Cap, he has inspired future generations of adventurers to dream wildly, plan meticulously and practice with discipline. And with his success comes freedom of choice. Alex has now set up his own foundation that funds solar energy projects all over the world. Win win win.
Next time you dismiss your dreams as fantasy or self-indulgent, remember the positive ripple effect that starts in your own imagination.
If you're curious find out what dreams can do for you, I encourage you to block some time in your calendar this week to ask yourself: What is my dream?
Finally, if you have questions about exploring your dreams more thoroughly, testing their feasibility or taking steps to make them a reality, get in touch.
Here’s to dreaming free solo!