On Episode 110 of the Enormocast, I sit down in a seedy hotel in SLC with a very Zen Cheyne Lempy. Cheyne had just returned from a session with Rock Warrior Way‘s author, Arno Ilgner, and was feeling absolutely himself. Cheyne instantly unloads about his trip to Baffin depicted in his film, Haywire. His first big expedition, things did not go as planned and Cheyne came to question the motivations that brought him so deep and “out there” on the ice. Cheyne also comes clean about the anxiety and depression that he has dealt with his whole life, even while taking down big walls left and right. He’s ready for the next big thing, but he’s just not quite sure what that might be.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Subscribe: RSS
Completely blew my mind! wow man, super good pod
Its cool when a badass admits he was gripped. We’re all gripped sometimes.
Jesus Kalous… every episode you do is engaging, touching, informative, and/0r [insert your choice adjective of stoke here]! Really appreciate Cheyne’s episode and like the new take on looking at a guest and what he or she has to offer.
I too have generalized anxiety. It’s not been all that long that I’ve been able to name it specifically, but as Cheyne touched upon, it’s been something that’s been part of my journey and growth pretty much my whole life. It’s only recently that I’ve begun to see how it has been at play in the past. Sometimes with mental health disorders, people tend to take a negative view, e.g. “I suffer from x.” I don’t quite see it that way. For me, anxiety is my greatest curse and greatest gift. As I’ve become friends with it, gotten to know it better, and really have owned it, I’ve seen how I’ve let it channel me into the abyss of despair and paralysis. But I’ve also seen how it has helped me achieve incredible commanding heights. A lot of this is about your brain and how it’s wired. Anxiety people have minds that think… a lot… to the point of overthinking! You can use that tool to scare and talk you out of everyday actions that otherwise could give you great benefit. Or you can learn to flip the spiral and use that mind with all of its thoughts and ideas and spin them into great creations.
One of my favorite observations: A hammer is a tool. In and of itself, it’s neutral. It’s what you use it for that has impact (yeah, bad pun). You can use a hammer to build a home for someone who really needs a good safer shelter. Or you can use it to bash their skull in. Same hammer, different outcomes. One good, one bad. The hammer is neither.
Thanks Chris for creating this amazing library of climbing people. It’s all about climbing (is there really anything else?!), and also you manage to draw people out in ways that are kind, caring, and helpful on many levels.
Thanks for the thoughtful comment. I’ll pass it along to Cheyne.
You’re welcome. I share it with Cheyne via his Instagram account as well. But he’s probably more likely to pay attention to you than me!
I’ve struggled with anxiety my entire life as well. It’s nice to hear that I’m not alone just as Cheyne says. I’ve been climbing for 15 years and every once in a while I’ll get spooked even on TR. I always feel kinda lame but then I remember the best climbers out there are the one’s having the most fun.
one of my recent favorites — thanks Kalous!