If there's one podcast you listen to this week, I hope it's this one!

I'm genuinely proud of this episode, as it distills some of the most powerful concepts I've learned, refined, and applied over the past 30 years. I believe you'll find it thought-provoking and impactful—and for some listeners, it may even prove life-changing.

To mark the new year, I've intentionally broadened the scope of this episode beyond climbing-specific training...to explore human performance, mindset, values, and intentional living. For this month, think of it as a true training for life podcast.

At the heart of the episode is a simple but important idea: most people live far below their true potential—not because of a lack of ability, but because of unexamined habits, limiting beliefs, fear, distraction, and cultural groupthink. Reclaiming personal power, I believe, begins with conscious control of your thoughts, decisions, values, and daily actions.

Drawing on decades of study, coaching, self-experimentation, and reflection, I present a set of 15 principles designed to lift you above mediocrity and support sustained progress toward meaningful goals. These concepts aren't quick fixes—they're daily disciplines that compound over time. When applied consistently, they elevate core life habits and mental frameworks, and ultimately feed back into better climbing performance, improved health, and deeper fulfillment.

A recurring theme throughout the episode is agency: you are largely self-made, your future is mostly under your control, and lasting change begins with intentional action taken today—not someday.

RUNDOWN

0:15 - New Year's greeting!?

0:45 - Are you reset for a "reset" and course correction with your life?

1:12 - Value-based goal setting.

3:54 - Overview of human performance -- YOU, dear listener, are far more powerful than you can possibly imagine!

11:15 - Brief Podcast Sponsor message from PhysiVantage Nutrition. Save 15% off full-price nutrition with checkout code: PODCAST15 at PhysiVantage.com (USA and Canada only). International climbers, please get your PhysiVantage from the EPIC-TV Shop >>

13:17 - 15 concepts and strategies for Uncommon Success and Happiness. I called them my "Mental Wings."

15:23 - #1: Your quality of life is directly related to the quality of your thoughts

17:05 - #2: Human beings are the embodiment of unused potential.

17:52 - #3: To outperform the masses, you must do things they don't do.

20:02 - #4: Clarity of values and goals, and a clear purpose for living form the foundation for a life full of rich, transcending experiences.

21:02 - #5: Risk is a precursor to reward.

22:07 - #6: Almost anything is possible once you conquer fear.

25:05 - #7: Singular focus and indomitable persistence knows no limits.

26:20 - #8: Obstacles and adversity make you stronger.

27:50 - #9: A fit body potentiates a fit mind.

29:14 - #10: Life is subtle—sweat the small stuff!

32:40 - #11: Your future is largely determined in the brief moment between stimulus and response (in any activity).

34:05 - #12: Maintain a dynamic, evolving life process by reinventing yourself from time to time.

35:50 - #13: Enjoy this moment—this moment is your life.

36:40 - #14: Unconditional love is the most powerful force in the universe.

37:17 - #15: In the final analysis, you are mostly self-made.

39:15 - Summary thoughts -- please share this podcast with a friend...or on your Social Media. (Thanks!)

40:30 - Share your struggles and successes with me via email or Instagram DM to: @eric_horst

42:05 - Hörst out!

A word from this podcast's sponsor, PhysiVantage. Get 15% off full-priced nutrition with checkout code: PODCAST15 (North America only). Europe and elsewhere visit EPIC-TV Shop or BananaFingers.com to get your PhysiVantage!

PLEASE write a 5-star review on Apple Podcasts and SHARE this podcast with a friend!

SAVE on La Sportiva shoes here >>

Thank you! La Sportiva, Maxim Ropes, DMM Climbing, Friction Labs

Music by Misty Murphy

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Copyright 2026 Eric Hörst | Horst Training, LLC.