When Alex Honnold summited El Capitan, there was little fanfare. He sat in silence with the mountain and a few close friends.
El Capitan, a vertical rock face in California’s Yosemite National Park, is revered as one of the toughest climbs in the world. On average, it takes the world’s best climbers 4-6 days to summit.
Alex Honnold did it in 3 hours, without ropes or a harness.
This is called free soloing. One mistake, and it’s death.
Jimmy Chin’s film, Free Solo, is a remarkable, Oscar-winning film following Honnold’s successful climb up El Capitan.
Honnold’s preparation and climb are sights to behold, however, it’s his calm reaction to his success that surprised me most. He had just pulled off a never-before-seen feat of human strength and endurance, and yet he celebrated quietly.
Honnold sets a great example, that even at the highest levels of performance, there is still room for grace, humility, and an obsessive focus on becoming the best you can be.