What Kilimanjaro taught me about doing hard things
Tue Feb 03 2026
This isn't an episode about endurance or bucket lists. It's about who you become under pressure.
When your body is exhausted, your mind starts bargaining, and the usual ways you lead, cope or push through stop working.
In this episode, I share what climbing Kilimanjaro revealed about pressure, identity, the voices that show up when things get hard and the moment I didn't think I could take another step.
This is a reflection on fear, asking for help, the unseen cost of coming back down and why the real transformation often only becomes clear after the climb is over.
If you're leading, navigating change or in a season that's quietly demanding more of you than before, this episode will meet you where you are.
Just like the climb, clarity doesn't always arrive at the summit — it often comes when you stop and really look at where you are. The Life Clarity Quiz helps you reflect on what's aligned, what feels heavy and what support could change the way you move forward.
Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Lead-Leadership-Lessons-Kilimanjaro/dp/B09F1CGQTR/
Join our community to continue the conversation:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ
Take the Life Clarity Quiz here:
https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity
Connect with Your Host Daphna Horowitz:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/
https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions
https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership
For more resources and coaching:
www.daphnahorowitz.com
Timestamps
00:00 Why doing hard things changes us
03:20 Saying yes before you feel ready
11:00 Identity disruption begins in preparation
21:10 What you carry and what weighs you down
26:40 Barranco Wall and learning to accept help
30:45 Summit night - fear, voices, and the breaking point
44:30 The moment the internal switch flipped
51:00 The descent no one prepares you for
58:00 The seven leadership lessons that stayed with me
Thanks for listening!
If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it, subscribe and leave us a review.
More
This isn't an episode about endurance or bucket lists. It's about who you become under pressure. When your body is exhausted, your mind starts bargaining, and the usual ways you lead, cope or push through stop working. In this episode, I share what climbing Kilimanjaro revealed about pressure, identity, the voices that show up when things get hard and the moment I didn't think I could take another step. This is a reflection on fear, asking for help, the unseen cost of coming back down and why the real transformation often only becomes clear after the climb is over. If you're leading, navigating change or in a season that's quietly demanding more of you than before, this episode will meet you where you are. Just like the climb, clarity doesn't always arrive at the summit — it often comes when you stop and really look at where you are. The Life Clarity Quiz helps you reflect on what's aligned, what feels heavy and what support could change the way you move forward. Buy the Book: https://www.amazon.com/Courage-Lead-Leadership-Lessons-Kilimanjaro/dp/B09F1CGQTR/ Join our community to continue the conversation: https://chat.whatsapp.com/CKtF2WR1frH6aW2jr40UTQ Take the Life Clarity Quiz here: https://daphnahorowitz.com/life-clarity Connect with Your Host Daphna Horowitz: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphnahorowitz/ https://www.facebook.com/PEACSolutions https://www.youtube.com/@daphnahorowitzleadership For more resources and coaching: www.daphnahorowitz.com Timestamps 00:00 Why doing hard things changes us 03:20 Saying yes before you feel ready 11:00 Identity disruption begins in preparation 21:10 What you carry and what weighs you down 26:40 Barranco Wall and learning to accept help 30:45 Summit night - fear, voices, and the breaking point 44:30 The moment the internal switch flipped 51:00 The descent no one prepares you for 58:00 The seven leadership lessons that stayed with me Thanks for listening! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it, subscribe and leave us a review.