#96 Summiting Everest, Kayaking the Grand Canyon… Blind: Erik Weihenmayer

From blind teenager to the top of Everest, bottom of the Grand Canyon and cover of Time. As an eye disease began to rob Erik of his vision by the age of 13, he resisted the idea that blindness would sweep him to the sidelines of life. He established himself as a formidable wrestler in high school, representing his home state of Connecticut in the National Junior Freestyle Wrestling Championship in Iowa.

Shortly after going blind, he received a newsletter in Braille about a group taking blind kids rock climbing. It wasn’t long before he was hooked. These early seeds of adventure eventually led him to hundreds of ascents around the world, including the Seven Summits- the highest peaks on each continent including the most formidable of them all— Mount Everest.

As a blind adventurer who has climbed Mt. Everest and more recently kayaked the Grand Canyon, Erik understands better than most that barriers are real, not merely perceived, and that obstacles encountered can either stop us in our tracks, or we can figure out a way to harness them and propel ourselves to new places that we would never get to in any other way.

As a speaker, he’s shared the stage with George Bush, Al Gore, Colin Powell, General Norman Schwarzkopf and Stephen Covey. He’s won an ESPY and has been on the cover of Time Magazine and featured on Oprah, 20/20 and many, many other media outlets.

If you don’t have time to listen to the entire episode or if you hear something that you like but don’t have time to write it down, be sure to grab your free copy of the Action Plan from this episode-- as well as get access to action plans from EVERY episode-- at JimHarshawJr.com/Action.

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About Your Host Jim Harshaw

My name is Jim Harshaw. And I know where you’re at. You’re working hard and qualified for what you do but you aren’t getting what you want. You have plans on getting to the C-suite or launching a business but ultimate success seems as far away today as ever. You’re at the right place because you can get there from here.

And I can help.

Who I Am

I’m a speaker, coach, and former Division I All-American wrestler that helps motivated former athletes reach their full potential by getting clarity on what they really want and taking aggressive action to lead their ideal life not just despite their prior failures but because of them.

I’m a husband and father of four. And I’m a serial entrepreneur. I’ve launched multiple successful businesses as well as the obligatory failed one. I’ve been the executive director of a non-profit and have raised millions of dollars. I’ve worked in sales. I’ve even been a Division I head coach. While I was born in a blue-collar home I have spent my life surrounded by Olympians, CEO’s and millionaires.

Jim Rohn said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”

I’ve been lucky.

I’ve learned the habits of successful people and guess what. You’re just like them. I know because I know your type. You’re programmed for hard work, which is a prerequisite for success, but you’ve never been shown how to use what you know to create the life you want with the tools you have.

I will show you how.

Why You are Here

You've worked hard to achieve greatness. You’ve set goals and maybe even set records. You’ve definitely failed and you’ve at some point found yourself questioning if you were on the right track.

You need to understand this: You are far more prepared to succeed than those who’ve not tried, competed, struggled and overcome like you have. That’s the value of your education as someone who aims high. You are prepared to be as successful as your wildest dreams will allow.

Here I will teach you, with the help of brilliant minds that have been shaped by failure, struggle, and adversity, to be who you want to be. I sense that you want this because you have read this far.

To take the next step today, click here.

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