137: Leading and Thriving in Unpredictable Times With History-Making Polar Explorer Alison Levine

08/20/20 • 42 min

Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Podcasts in Careers!

“I’m scared out of my mind in these environments, but what I’ve realized is that fear as a normal human emotion can actually work in your favor. It can keep you alert and aware of everything going on around you. Fear is only dangerous when it paralyzes you.” - Alison Levine

I’m so excited to be talking with today’s Finding Brave guest about tackling challenges and achieving goals in unpredictable environments, because her personal story is so relevant in these trying times. Her journey reveals that sometimes you must go backwards before you can move forward, but this is still progress towards the summit of your life.

Alison Levine is a history-making polar explorer and mountaineer. She served as team captain of the first American Women’s Everest Expedition, climbed the highest peak on each continent and skied to both the North and South Poles—a feat known as the Adventure Grand Slam—which only twenty people in the world have achieved. In January 2008, she made history as the first American to complete a 600-mile traverse across west Antarctica to the South Pole following the route of legendary explorer Reinhold Messner. Alison completed this arduous journey on skis while hauling 150 pounds of her gear and supplies in a sled harnessed to her waist. She made history again in 2016 when she completed two first ascents: Hall Peak in Antarctica and Khang Karpo in Nepal. Her success in extreme environments is noteworthy given she has had three heart surgeries and suffers from Raynaud’s disease, which causes the arteries that feed her fingers and toes to collapse in cold weather—leaving her at extreme risk for frostbite.

In addition to climbing mountains, Alison has also spent time climbing the corporate ladder. She has worked for several Fortune 500 companies in both sales and marketing roles and spent three years at Goldman Sachs. She left Wall Street in 2003 to serve as Deputy Finance Director for Arnold Schwarzenegger in his successful bid to become governor of California.

When not challenging herself in the outdoors, Alison focuses on training others to become strong leaders. She spent four years as an adjunct professor at the United States Military Academy at West Point in the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership. In 2013 she transitioned from training cadets to working with corporate leaders and currently serves on the board and faculty of the Thayer Leader Development Group at West Point—one of the nation’s premiere executive leader development programs. She was a contributing author to the book Leadership in Dangerous Situations: A Handbook for the Armed Forces, Emergency Services and First Responders and is the author of the New York Times bestseller On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mount Everest and other Extreme Environments.

In this episode, Alison reframes fear by explaining how you should allow yourself to feel it as a normal human emotion, and her perspective on failure is also especially powerful. Alison’s story serves as a reminder that you do not always have to be the best, fastest or strongest to get to the mountain that you are climbing. You just have to be relentless about putting one foot in front of the other.

To learn more about today's guest, visit: http://www.alisonlevine.com/

Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Podcasts in Careers!

To learn more about today's guest, visit: http://www.alisonlevine.com/

Previous Episode

136: How to Know When You Have a Book Inside of You and How to Start, with Bruce Gelfand

Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Podcasts in Careers!

“We’re talking about a marriage with that part of yourself that has a voice, that wants to be heard, and that has a story to tell. It doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks about it. If you have a story to tell and you have a voice, and you want to tell it, then you can write that book.” - Bruce Gelfand

So many women and men I hear from have something they so long to share with others in writing. Whatever your walk of life or professional focus, it’s important to understand that you have a voice that is worthy of being heard and shared, and it’s important to give yourself permission to share it. Today’s Finding Brave guest is a wonderful writing coach I’ve worked with personally to help me hone the ability to excavate my own authentic voice, and find the courage (and give myself permission) to share my core messages with the world.

Bruce Gelfand is a writer, teacher and writing coach based in Santa Monica. He has taught hundreds of writing workshops and seminars in venues around the world, and has worked with thousands of writing students – from masters in the field to absolute beginners. His private coaching clients include CEOs, corporate trainers, Academy and Emmy-Award winning writers, directors, actors, and leaders in the worlds of politics, health, and spirituality.

As a writer, Bruce has over 30 years experience in theater, film, television, and publishing in both New York and Hollywood. His plays have won national playwriting awards, been produced Off-Broadway and in theaters around the country.

He has written numerous feature films and movies-for-television, as well as writing and directing the feature-length documentary, “The Family Safe”. He is also a writer of fiction, non-fiction, songs, and award-winning poetry. His book, Brighter the Light, Deeper the Shadow was published in 2004.

He has launched a new program for writers - A Writers’ Hour - which is an inspirational program to writers of all levels around the world.

In this episode, Bruce shares his best advice for pursuing your next writing project, whether it be an article, blog, book, memoir or screenplay. As Bruce reveals, your life is a better one and the world is a better place when you share the distinctive voice that is inside of you.

To learn more about today's guest, visit: http://brucegelfand.com/

Next Episode

138: How to Grow and Pivot Your Business During The Pandemic and Beyond, with Nell Merlino

Thank you for listening to our Finding Brave show, ranked in the Top 100 Apple Podcasts in Careers!

“I think you’ve got to see everything as an opportunity. You cannot spend a lot of time lamenting the fact that we’re in this, because we are and you need to re-evaluate everything.” - Nell Merlino

Despite the challenges in our current environment, there has never been a better time for women to lead in business and to support one another. As we face these new obstacles, today’s inspiring Finding Brave guest is continuing to help women leaders innovate and grow their businesses and not only survive, but thrive.

Nell Merlino created Take Our Daughters to Work Day with the Ms. Foundation for Women in 1993, in which over 25 million people participated in the first two years. She then expanded her strategic communications consultancy to develop winning campaigns, strategies and events for dozens of clients including the YWCA, Amnesty International, Gay Men’s Health Crisis, The Sierra Club, Calvert, The Sister Fund and the NGO Forum on Women in Beijing ’95.

In 2000, Nell launched Count Me In for Women’s Economic Independence, the first online microlender in the world. This grew to encompass the Women Veterans Entrepreneur Corp and the Make Mine a Million $ Business program with founding sponsor American Express and champions including Hillary Clinton, Suze Orman, Nely Galan, Valerie Morris (CNN) and Janet Napolitano.

Recently, Nell has revived the "Count me in" campaign to help female entrepreneurs in the wake of COVID-19, by offering $250,000 in grants, including four $25,000 grants and 15 $10,000 grants.

In this episode, Nell reveals how women in business can access capital, and she gives her strategies and advice for growing and pivoting during this pandemic. Nell shares how everyone can pivot, and it just takes the will and willingness to do so. Countless new opportunities await the women in small business who accept this challenge, and move forward despite their fears and doubts.

For more information about today's guest, visit: https://countmeinrevival.org/