"First of all, yes, I need to know what I will be climbing, whether it's on rocks or whether it's on buildings. And then there is physical preparation. And regarding the mindset, it's more something that became a bit automatic over the years because I have been free soloing for almost 50 years. So it is pretty much my whole life. So that means that for me, being mentally ready, it's kind of simple. It's almost always the same mental process, meaning, I can be afraid before an ascent, but I know myself actually very well. And I know that once I am starting to climb, I feel fine. I put my fear aside, and I'm just climbing.

Most people don't know that actually, my background is on rock. It's not on buildings. What I did on rocks free soloing is much more impressive than what I did on buildings.”

Alain Robert is a renowned rock climber and urban climber. Known as "the French Spider-Man” or "the Human Spider," Robert is famous for his free solo climbing, scaling skyscrapers using no climbing equipment except for a small bag of chalk and a pair of climbing shoes. Some of his most notable ascents include the Burj Khalifa, the Eiffel Tower, and the Sydney Opera House, as well as other of the world's tallest skyscrapers. He is also a motivational speaker and the author of With Bare Hands: The True Story of Alain Robert, the Real-life Spiderman.

www.alainrobert.com

www.instagram.com/alainrobertofficial/?hl=fr

www.blacksmithbooks.com/books/with-bare-hands-the-true-story-of-alain-robert-the-real-life-spiderman/

www.creativeprocess.info
www.oneplanetpodcast.org
Instagram @creativeprocesspodcast

Image courtesy of alainrobert.com