What Fear Is Trying to Teach You | Hazel Findlay

You can train your body for years.

And still freeze when it matters.

Hazel Findlay has spent decades climbing at the highest level—on some of the most dangerous routes in the world. She’s climbed El Capitan multiple times, pushed the limits of traditional climbing, and built a career around performing under pressure.

But what makes her interesting isn’t just what she’s climbed.

It’s how she thinks about fear.

In this conversation, we explore something most athletes—and most people—get wrong:

👉 The goal isn’t to eliminate fear
 👉 It’s to understand what it’s trying to tell you

We talk about:

•  Why fear never really goes away (even at the top) 
•  The difference between real danger and perceived threat 
•  Why trying to “be confident” often backfires 
•  How to stay present when everything in you wants to pull back 
•  What changes as you get older—and why the mental side matters more 

Hazel also shares stories from her own climbing career—including moments where fear showed up in unexpected ways, even after years of experience.

This isn’t just about climbing.

It’s about what happens in your mind when something matters—and you’re not sure you can do it.

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Topics: longevity, fitness over 40, endurance training, aging athletes, recovery, injury prevention