What Mount Everest Taught Her About Failure, Fear, and Finding Her Voice: Alison Levine

What does it take to lead the first American women’s Everest expedition, survive a near-fatal heart condition, and keep climbing into your 50s? For mountaineer, author, and speaker Alison Levine it all comes down to one thing: putting one foot in front of the other, even when you’re terrified.

Alison joins Danielle to talk about the summit attempt that made her the butt of a late-night punchline—and the second attempt that helped her rewrite what success really means. In this episode, she shares how a childhood marked by isolation, medical setbacks, and grit shaped her into one of the most inspiring leaders on and off the mountain. Alison shares:

• How being born with a hole in her heart shaped her risk tolerance
• The story behind the first American Women’s Everest Expedition—and why they had to turn around 270 feet from the top
• What it felt like to fail so publicly—and what she learned when she finally reached the summit 8 years later
• The mantra that replaced “go big or go home”
• Why fear can be your best asset
• Her surprising leadership advice (hint: ego isn't the enemy)
• The unspoken voice every woman battles—and how to train it to speak differently
• Why the strongest teams honor each other’s limits
• What she learned dragging a 150-pound sled across Antarctica
• Why she just left her successful speaking career to write a one-woman show—and what’s at stake
• How being “the smallest one on the team” became her greatest asset
• The quote from Pitbull that reframed how she views failure

Book rec: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl

Follow Alison on Instagram here.