Alex Honnold

Like people talk about breath work and... Yeah, take some deep breaths, try to compose yourself.

I mean, I try to stay rational.

You know, like, am I in danger?

Because sometimes, like in this case in Antarctica, I am actually in danger.

Like if I fall, I could die.

But oftentimes you feel you get those feelings of fear and you're not actually in danger.

You just it's your mind running away from you.

And so sometimes you can sort of rationally rein in a little bit where you're like, no, I am safe.

The protection will hold me.

The rope is, you know, my gear is good.

And then you just take a deep breath and you just carry on.

Oh, yeah.

I mean, of course.

Yeah, I mean, you have to understand what the consequences would be.

Because, I mean, that type of visualization is also how you can know when you're safe.

Because, like, if you have a rope and gear and you're trying to visualize, like, if I fall, am I going to hit the ground or is the gear going to catch me before I hit the ground?

I mean, there are often situations like that where you're like.

If I fall, am I going to hit that ledge and break both my legs, or am I going to clear the ledge and fall into free space, in which case it's totally safe?

And so it helps to be able to have a clear-eyed visualization of, you know, because most people visualize the worst case.

Like, if I fall, I'm going to die.