My guest is ⁠Alex Honnold⁠, a professional rock climber considered by many to be one of the greatest athletes of all time for his historic ⁠free solo⁠ (no ropes or man-made holds) ascent of El Capitan in Yosemite. We discuss how to envision massive goals in any part of life and the process of breaking down those goals into actionable daily steps. Alex shares how embracing your uniqueness and mortality is the most powerful way to envision and live a fuller, more intentional life. We also discuss strength and endurance training, assessing risk and how Alex prepares mentally and physically for extreme challenges. We also discuss how to balance goal-seeking with family and work. Regardless of your goals, profession or age, this conversation will very likely reshape how you think about and approach your life, goals and potential. Episode show notes: https://go.hubermanlab.com/6RNPzxY Pre-order Andrew's book, Protocols: https://go.hubermanlab.com/protocols *Thank you to our sponsors* AG1: https://drinkag1.com/huberman Joovv: https://joovv.com/huberman BetterHelp: https://betterhelp.com/huberman Maui Nui: https://mauinuivenison.com/huberman Function: https://functionhealth.com/huberman *Follow Huberman Lab* Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hubermanlab Threads: https://www.threads.net/@hubermanlab X: https://twitter.com/hubermanlab Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hubermanlab TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@hubermanlab LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-huberman Website: https://www.hubermanlab.com Newsletter: https://www.hubermanlab.com/newsletter *Alex Honnold* Website: https://www.alexhonnold.com Climbing Gold (podcast): https://www.climbinggold.com Alone on the Wall (book): https://amzn.to/3I05vxD Honnold Foundation: https://www.honnoldfoundation.org/#mission TED talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iM6M_7wBMc&t=1s YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCwqnNQOiZzpPNazMN0cBAzw Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alexhonnold X: https://x.com/alexhonnold Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlexHonnold *Timestamps* 00:00:00 Alex Honnold 00:02:17 Intrinsic & Extrinsic Motivation, Setting Big Goals 00:05:00 Preparing for Free Solo of El Capitan, Route Memorization & Conditions 00:10:09 Sponsors: Joovv & BetterHelp 00:12:35 Overthinking, Kinesthetic Flow; Climbing & Surprise 00:16:24 Aging & Climbing; Olympics & Broadening Climbing Culture; Parkour 00:23:04 Grip Strength, Aging, Climbing Technique, Yosemite National Park, Half Dome 00:29:00 Free Soloing & Rope Climbing, Safety & Risk; Aging & Death; Mentors 00:38:32 Sponsors: AG1 & Maui Nui 00:41:29 Climbing Lifestyle, Training, Career; Recovery 00:47:44 Technology, Smartphones & Distraction from Goals, Focus 00:51:09 Pursuing Ambitious Goals, Tool: Small Daily Challenges 00:55:56 Fear, Brain Scan & Public Speaking; Evaluating Risk 00:59:40 Doing What You Love, Life Crisis, Tool: Contemplating Death 01:03:49 Childhood, Passion & Choosing Career Path; University 01:11:46 Sponsor: Function 01:13:34 Outdoor Exploration, Yosemite, National Parks, Rucking, Trail Running 01:18:18 Girl Climber Film, Effort & Dedication 01:23:29 Strength Training, Pull-Ups, Muscle-Ups, Tool: Increase Sets & Reduce Soreness 01:31:59 Endurance & Strength Training Schedule; Posture; Running 01:38:52 Body Balance, Leanness; Muscle Cramps; Multi-Day Climbs 01:42:31 Awe in Nature, Spiritual Experiences; How Geckos Climb; Cliff-Dwelling Wildlife 01:46:46 Zero-Cost Support, YouTube, Spotify & Apple Follow & Reviews, Sponsors, YouTube Feedback, Protocols Book, Social Media, Neural Network Newsletter Disclaimer & Disclosures: https://www.hubermanlab.com/disclaimer