Paris has been flying hang gliders his entire life, and we’re the same age— so a long time. In this episode we explore the multifaceted nature of flying and its psychological implications. Paris has a PHD in psychology and is a practicing psychologist, and he shares his own journey from a challenging childhood and coming from a pretty dark place to finding solace in the skies. We discuss the evolution of hang gliding, the thrill of aerobatics, and the importance of mental health in the sport. We get into mindfulness practices  as a means to enhance performance and maintain presence during flights and the balance between competition and enjoyment and the need to reconnect with the joy of flying. We explore the intricate balance between striving for success and enjoying the journey in flying, and how letting go of the desire for achievement often leads to much better performance.

Juraj Koreň is an expert alpine climber and pilot from Slovakia who has been chasing some very extreme (often solo) adventures around the world for the last decade, including his 7 “virgin summits” attempt to climb and fly off the world’s highest peaks. We begin this conversation discussing his experience in the 2019 Red Bull X-Alps and how mistakes in his first race have guided his last five years of preparations for his second race this June. They discuss the challenges of solo climbing and the importance of understanding mortality in adventure sports. Juraj reflects on his experiences, including a harrowing solo climb of the north face of the Eiger and the mental battles faced during the Red Bull X-Alps race. We discuss the addictive nature of extreme sports, the lessons learned from past experiences, and the importance and intrigue of solo missions for personal growth and reflection.

A year ago almost to the day professional Red Bull adventure athlete, 9 time Red Bull-Alps competitor, brainchild of “The Search” projects, professional speaker, loving father and husband Tom De Dorlodot was learning how to kite-ski in Norway for a future planned expedition across the length of Greenland when things went horribly, horribly wrong. This wasn’t Tom’s first major injury, but this one has forced Tom into some scary places both mentally and physically. Tom’s year has been a blur of darkness and light: nine major surgeries, months of antibiotics, at times a real risk of losing his leg pulling against optimism, hope, love of family and beautiful lessons.