LE MENTAL (ft. MIKE HORN)

Summary

Sebastien joins explorer Mike Horn on an Arctic expedition to push his mental and physical limits. They climb treacherous mountains, traverse dangerous glaciers, and brave freezing waters. Sebastien struggles but Mike urges him on, testing his willpower. At the peak of exhaustion, Sebastien digs deep to find the mental strength to continue. He experiences the magic of the midnight sun and gains profound personal insights. Despite immense challenges, Sebastien perseveres, learning to push past perceived limits and love what he dislikes.

Takeaways

• 😀 Mike Horn is a world-renowned explorer who has accomplished many daring feats like sailing around the world and climbing Mount Everest.
• 🏔 Mike takes the author Sébastien on an expedition across the Arctic to witness climate change firsthand.
• ❄️ They travel to Greenland and hike across glaciers, some of which have receded dramatically.
• 🚣‍♂️ They sail on Mike's boat 'Pangaea' and navigate around icebergs.
• 🧗 Mike pushes Sébastien out of his comfort zone by having him climb a previously unclimbed mountain.
• 😫 Sébastien struggles physically and mentally but eventually makes it to the summit.
• 🌄 They witness a stunning 'midnight sun' in the Arctic together.
• 🥶 Mike teaches Sébastien to overcome discomfort and 'love what you don't like to do'.
• 👪 Mike's family joins parts of the expedition, as sharing adventures with loved ones is important to him.
• 🏔 They name the mountain they climbed 'Mental Strength', commemorating Sébastien's achievement.

Q & A

What expedition is Sébastien participating in with Mike Horn?

Sébastien is participating in an expedition called 'What's left' with Mike Horn, which is a 4-year journey to revisit places Mike has explored throughout his life to witness the effects of climate change.

What are some of Mike Horn's notable achievements mentioned in the script?

Mike Horn's notable achievements include sailing around the world through the Arctic Circle, the equator, both poles, climbing 8000 m peaks without ropes or oxygen, swimming down the whole Amazon River with a hydrospeed, and crossing the North Pole during the polar night, experiencing temperatures of -60°C.

What unusual rule is mentioned about life on Mike Horn's boat, the Pangaea?

One unusual rule mentioned about life on Mike Horn's boat, the Pangaea, is that if you want to pee, you have to warn someone because you could fall into the water.

How does Sébastien view the concept of comfort and effort in relation to his experiences?

Sébastien reflects on the human mind's preference for comfort over hard mode, acknowledging his own tendencies towards laziness and discomfort with the cold. However, he contrasts this with individuals like Mike Horn, whose life seems to be controlled by mental strength and a preference for challenging situations.

What is the significance of the 'What's left' expedition for Mike Horn?

The 'What's left' expedition is significant for Mike Horn as it allows him to witness firsthand the effects of climate change on the places he has explored during his life, sharing these experiences with younger generations, including his family, to raise awareness and document the changes.

How does Mike Horn's philosophy influence Sébastien's perspective on challenges and adventures?

Mike Horn's philosophy of embracing challenges and venturing beyond one's comfort zone influences Sébastien's perspective by teaching him the value of mental strength, the importance of facing fears, and the personal growth that comes from undertaking difficult tasks.

What new skill does Sébastien attempt to learn during the expedition?

During the expedition, Sébastien attempts to learn paddleboarding, a skill he only tried once before on a holiday, highlighting the challenges and dangers of attempting this activity in the harsh and icy conditions of Greenland.

Why does Mike Horn choose to climb mountains without ropes or belay?

Mike Horn chooses to climb mountains without ropes or belay due to a traumatic experience where he witnessed a lead climber make a mistake, causing him and eleven others who were roped together to fall. This led him to swear to rely only on himself, avoiding reliance on others or gear for safety.

What lesson does Mike Horn share with Sébastien about facing personal limits and challenges?

Mike Horn shares the lesson that true knowledge of oneself comes from being in danger and testing one's limits. He emphasizes that it's through facing and overcoming these challenges that individuals can truly understand their capabilities and grow.

What is the newly named mountain and its significance to Sébastien's journey?

The newly named mountain is called 'Mental Strength'. It signifies the culmination of Sébastien's journey and learning during the expedition, embodying the challenges he faced and overcame, and the personal growth he experienced through embracing discomfort and pushing beyond his limits.

Outlines

00:00

😃 Family reunion in Greenland and embarking on an expedition with Mike Horn

Mike Horn's family welcomes Sébastien as he arrives in Greenland to join Mike's 4-year expedition called 'What's Left' to witness climate change effects. They set off on Mike's boat Pangaea with unusual boat rules like warning before peeing. Goal is to check if a glacier seen 15 years ago is still there.

05:09

😆 Learning to paddle kayak and Mike's life philosophy

Mike and Sébastien go kayaking. Sébastien shares origin of his nickname 'Seb la Frite'. Mike talks about trying to live freely, have fun and build around that. They come across mushrooms and discuss climate change effects on Greenland.

10:12

😢 Witnessing retreating glacier and causes of faster Arctic warming

Mike and Sébastien reach place where Mike saw a glacier 15 years ago but it has retreated. Mike explains the vicious circle causing faster Arctic warming called polar amplification leading to ice melt. His expedition aims to witness climate change effects over years.

15:21

😀 Initiation into ice climbing and crevasse jumping

Mike puts Sébastien through an initiation of ice climbing, jumping over crevasses and climbing a mountain for first time. It aims to take him out of his comfort zone and teach through experience.

20:24

😨 Hitting rock at night and Mike's life philosophy

Sébastien narrates a scary nighttime incident when their boat hit a rock. He credits the boat's special reinforcement for Arctic and Mike's experience for saving them. Mike shares his life philosophy of constantly feeling challenged and seeing new things.

25:42

😃 Trekking through stunning glacier scenery

The team treks 3 hours across a glacier to reach and climb an unnamed, virgin mountain. Sébastien brainstorms ideas for naming the mountain. They come across melting glacier water, crevasses, ice cave.

30:46

😫 Struggling physically and mentally while summiting mountain

During final mountain ascend, Sébastien struggles physically and mentally with exhaustion, hunger and low blood pressure. Mike pushes him to continue and teaches that overcoming immense difficulty shows one's capabilities.

36:40

😌 Pride about summiting and learning to love discomfort

Sébastien expresses pride about summiting the mountain supported by Mike who helped pace his descent. Mike teaches him to love and focus on discomfort, not avoid it, to grow mentally.

41:41

😃 Final icy plunge and reflections on life lessons

Mike challenges Sébastien to jump into near-freezing water amidst icebergs. Sébastien reflects on life lessons about pushing limits, getting outside comfort zones and learning to love discomfort which leads to growth.

Keywords

💡Expedition

An expedition refers to an adventurous journey undertaken for a specific purpose. In the video, Seb joins Mike Horn on his 4-year 'What's Left' expedition across the Arctic to witness climate change effects. The expedition pushes Seb out of his comfort zone and tests his mental and physical limits.

💡Glacier

A glacier is a large mass of ice that moves slowly down a slope or valley. The video shows how glaciers in Greenland are melting rapidly due to climate change. The team travels across a glacier to reach and climb an unnamed mountain.

💡Climate Change

Climate change is the long-term shift in global weather patterns and average temperatures. The video examines devastating climate change effects evident in the Arctic, like melting glaciers and polar ice.

💡Mental Strength

Mental strength refers to inner resilience that helps one push past physical exhaustion or discomfort. Seb has to draw on tremendous mental strength to complete the difficult glacier climb despite hunger, fatigue and shaking legs.

💡Comfort Zone

One's comfort zone comprises activities that feel safe and comfortable. Mike believes stepping out of one's comfort zone teaches self-reliance and determination. The expedition forces Seb out of his urban comfort zone.

💡Midnight Sun

The midnight sun is a natural phenomenon in summer months in polar regions when the sun remains visible at midnight. Seb is awe-struck by the beauty of the midnight sun in Greenland.

💡Polar Ice

Polar ice refers to the ice sheet coveringPolarice

💡Iceberg

Icebergs are large chunks of glacial ice that break off and float in open water. Mike's boat navigates carefully between icebergs During his watchkeeping shift, Seb guides the boat safely past icebergs.

💡Crevasse

Crevasses are deep, narrow openings or cracks in glaciers. Mike warns Seb about the dangers of falling into crevasses that are 200m deep while traversing the glacier.

💡Hydrospeed

A hydrospeed is a small, lightweight watercraft used to traverse rivers or seas. Mike swam the entire length of the Amazon river with an hydrospeed, demonstrating his adventurous spirit.

Highlights

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The approach could enable new computer vision applications requiring real-time performance.

Researchers aim to keep improving efficiency and apply the method to video processing next.

The algorithm has promising implications for domains relying on image analysis like robotics.

Transcripts

Somewhere along the eastern coast of Greenland.

Papa, can you read me?

Yeah I can read you. Where are you guys?

Everybody is waiting for you.

Yeah... it's just that Sébastien is finished...

... I'll have to carry him or something.

The human mind is predictable.

It always chooses comfort,

easy mode over hard mode.

And I'm just like anybody else.

I don't like the cold, I'm a bit lazy, I don't push myself too much...

But for some people, it seems to be the complete opposite:

it is as though their mental strength controls their life.

Hey, Seb!

Hello !

What's up ?

You made it! Well done!

Watch out for the ice!

So, how did I end up here?

I'm going to try to learn more about myself

by going on an expedition

- Welcome! - Thanks!

with Mike Horn.

Le Mental - feat. Mike Horn.

Watch out! Mike!

Oh fuck!

Mike Horn is one of the world's most renowned explorers.

He sailed around the world through the Arctic Circle, the equator, both poles.

He climbs 8000 m peaks for breakfast, without ropes or oxygen.

He swam down the whole Amazon River with an hydrospeed.

He went across the North Pole, but since it was too easy by day,

he did it during the polar night,

meaning complete dark for 2 months and experienced temperatures of -60°C.

So...

There are more humans that went to the moon

than people who went across the North Pole like that.

And when I met him,

he is on another expedition.

This new expedition is a bit different.

It lasts for 4 years and is called "What's left".

He will go to all the places he has already explored during his life

to witness the effects of climate change.

And he invited me to join him for a part of the journey.

So here I am in Greenland on board of his boat: the Pangaea.

First discovery, life on a boat is full of unusual rules.

If you want to pee,

you have to warn someone

because you could fall into the water.

Another rule: don't fall into a 200 m crevasse.

Yep.

I can't always reach the bottom of a crevasse

that is 200 m deep. Not enough rope.

It's a shame.

Oh yeah, what a shame!

I hope you're going to be solid.

Right?

OK guys, actually...

Where can I put you?

Wait, so these are cupboards?

With Mike's books in them.

Alright!

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Special offer for this video:

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And Revolut are super nice, and super smart too:

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I'm glad, I hope it's the beginning of a long partnership

because I'm very proud to be able to work with such brands!

We're going to take the paddles over there.

I only tried once on holidays, on a beach where it's fine to fall into the water.

Here, it's not so fine!

If you have a phone, put it in another pocket!

It's okay if I fall, right?

Sure, it is!

But it will be safe if you put it inside.

If you fall into the water, it's waterproof for your phone.

Normally.

Yeah, I'm not gonna fall anyway!

You can get on your knees, and then you can...

You can row...

Don't get on your knees, you don't want to look like a jerk!

I came here 15 years ago.

There is a beautiful glacier behind.

We'll go and see if it is still there

because I have always wanted

to go on an expedition on the ice cap.

Right. Why does it stink around here?

Well, it's the seaweed.

It's nature's stink.

When it's dry, it kind of smells like someone just farted on your face.

Hmm.

We're going to climb up the hill, over there.

You can see some ice from here.

OK.

But there is also some water. That is worrying.

If there is no more glacier...

Let's go see from up close!

Let's go.

Why are you called "Seb la Frite"?

Is it because you're full of energy? (avoir la frite = to be very lively)

No, it's much simpler than that.

- Yeah? - My family name is "FRIT".

"F.R.I.T."

Yeah?

So when I was a kid,

at school, even the teachers would say "Frite"

so I would say: "it's pronounced FRIT".

Like "Free"!

So it became a nickname!

Oh look, he put on his slippers...

Are your feet dry?

Ehh... no.

Do you wear the same shoes in Paris?

Yup!

- Are you dry? - Super, super dry!

Lucky you!

What's your philosophy of life?

I try to be as free as possible.

- That's very good. - To have fun...

And then I build around that.

With all the things that can happen...

I think you have good human values.

Mushrooms!

- Look! - They're beautiful!

There's something about alveoli...

The more mossy they are, the lesser the risk?

Exactly.

If it gets warmer here,

it will become

a paradise for growing

fruits and vegetables, but in such a way that

you don't interfere with the earth, because it's very wet.

- And then... - Wait, teach me how to keep my calm here.

You do see the thousand flying things, right?

- Where? - All around us!

You see them, right? The mosquitoes?

You know... I don't notice those things!

You don't notice them anymore?

- Have you swallowed a mosquito? - Yeah, one on the way!

- Really! - I thought "oh well, that's not good!"

It's good for circulation

because when they bite you,

blood circulation improves and you stay young for a very long time.

Really? Is that a real secret?

Is that your beauty secret?

The things you do,

95% of people would think:

"It's too dangerous, I won't do it."

So surely, you don't see risk

the way most people do.

I'm not afraid to die.

I'm not afraid to fail.

I'm not afraid to go home like a loser because I couldn't make it.

You know,

my wife died,

8 years ago, from cancer.

I never would have thought I would outlive her,

because I was the one taking risks.

And then...

When she was really sick,

I loved her so much that I wanted to die with her.

And I told her "Cathy, I want to die with you",

She said "but Mike..."

"Why would you die for me when you can live for me?"

Here, up to there,

used to be a glacier.

Last summer, the North Atlantic Ocean was so warm

that researchers thought there was a bug with their satellite surveillance system.

The Arctic is warming up three times faster than the rest of Earth,

mostly because of a phenomenon called

"Polar amplification".

Greenland ice is supposed to act as a giant mirror

that reflects the Sun's rays towards space.

But the ice is gradually turning into an ocean,

or gives way to darker vegetation that absorbs the Sun's rays.

As a result, there is an increase in air and water temperature,

which then causes snow and ice to melt.

It's a vicious circle.

So many things have changed in 15 years,

so I wanted to witness those changes.

We decided to share this expedition, "What's Left",

with younger generations,

with my family,

and for me, in a selfish manner,

it's a way to keep going on expeditions!

For me, it is also an opportunity to spend time with my daughters,

with my crew,

to share and teach everything that I've been through during 30 years.

Family is paramount to Mike.

A family built around the adventures

that he has been living for decades.

One of the things that matter the most for him

is to be with close ones.

I'm here because I love adventure,

and I wanted to try something new.

I took on the role of cooking for everyone!

Ever since I was little,

Mike has always put us in uncomfortable situations,

not to throw us off balance,

but rather to teach us!

There is a sort of code written in his DNA

that always compels him to pick the more difficult path.

Not because he's masochistic

but because he knows what it can bring to someone.

He throws you outside of your comfort zone, straight into the deep end,

and you've got to learn and adapt.

Everyone has their own image of Mike,

but he's so mysterious,

nobody really knows what he does or who he is...

OK.

Let's go!

We're going to do

some exercices to refresh what you have learned...

- During your expedition... in Kyrgyzstan, right? - Yup.

Use your legs to jump.

Try to find a flat landing zone.

Well done!

Now, let's stick our crampon here...

... our ice axe there...

Those are things you are going to use later.

You will be much more at ease.

People won't say "Look at him, he's such a bad climber!"

No, you'll be good!

The training consists in jumping over crevasses.

A lot of crevasses.

Super!

Woooow! Well done, holy shit!

So?

It's kind of tricky, you have to think about a lot of things.

You need to be focused at all times.

It's not super hard, but... I feel you need to be rigorous.

And you know me, when it comes to being rigourous...

Instinctively, you may ask:

why train without ropes, without being belayed,

In Mike's view, it is a choice.

And when I ask him why he chooses to climb ropeless,

he tells me a story.

When he was younger, he was climbing a mountain

and next to him, 12 men were roped together,

climbing as well.

He saw the lead man stick his ice axe wrong,

lose balance,

and fall, along with the other 11 men.

Ever since, he swore to rely on himself only,

and if an accident happened, it wouldn't be because of someone else,

of because of his gear.

One last little challenge, Seb.

When you're ready.

Alright.

At first, it might seem careless,

but the more focused you are, the more you try to move well,

the less risk that something happens to you.

Once I was on the ice face,

nothing else mattered,

I was only thinking about one thing:

to do my best.

Wooow, good!

- That was good! - I'm glad.

Those climbs are not easy.

You're committed,

you can't fall,

and it's quite steep.

You can't stop and think, you just can't!

If I fall, I fall from the iceberg.

Maybe I'll cut that part.

My mom will never let me do something like that again!

OK!

End of the initiation!

- Yeaaaah! - Well done!

I broke my toenail when I jumped.

It's such a silly injury,

I can't complain here!

But it hurts!

Mike kindly offered to treat my wound with...

... a hand drill.

I refused, and a few days later :

Yummy.

I mean, I made it.

My toenail might be broken, but I'm not dead.

And that's what matters!

You see that bit over there, in front of us?

You need to head right,

and then try to head towards the iceberg...

To be honest, Mike's boat is quite comfy.

But we're not here as tourists,

because anyway, that word doesn't exist for him.

They include us in the crew,

we have to watchkeep,

that means we are the ones steering the boat.

They gave me a chill time slot:

9 AM - 12 AM, 9 PM - 12 PM.

We all take turns

and some people must wake up at 3 AM.

But that's how much he involves us.

We are more than just spectators.

Now you can slow down the boat.

Look! Don't tell Mike, but I put a sea sickness patch.

Just in case!

And they say that if Mike sees that,

he will give you shit!

For him, if you're sea sick, then it is part of the experience.

You're going to climb the mast

up to the third crosstree

and through the radio,

you're going to tell me to go right, left,

to go around the iceberg...

And I will follow your instructions.

So I am the boat's eyes?

Yup, exactly!

There you go!

Put your feet on the sail.

If you want to stop, just say "STOP!"

He didn't put it this way,

but I understood he had put me in charge of the boat's navigation and safety

to test my mettle.

I made it!

Make yourself comfortable, you'll be staying for a while.

Imagine you're home watching TV!

So here I am, watching the world's most beautiful TV,

for the next 3 hours.

This afternoon's program features an endless sea,

sprinkled with icebergs.

Careful, there's a big one right ahead of us.

We're going to hit it.

We're going to use it as a shield and progress slowly.

OK, great.

I was worried there!

I was having fun from up there,

but it's hard not to think of the Titanic

when the day's mission...

... is to avoid icebergs.

There might be a way,

they are much smaller

that way, I don't know if you can see my arm.

Yeah, I can.

If we go starboard, the path is clear.

But that's not our course.

There's something big, I don't know if we have time.

To the left, to the left, to the left!

It's always so close,

I'm shocked!

How's the view from up there?

The view is stunning!

If we can keep our course, then it's all good!

- Thanks! - Well done!

You stayed for hours!

Oh well!

You gave perfect directions.

That's great!

Directions every 2 seconds,

very precise paths,

and we were stuck in

a lot of ice!

It was super fun,

I was like, "OK, here, now there!"

Yeah.

I became more precise,

at first I thought they were all dangerous...

But after that you knew exactly! And we went through...

... super smoothly!

- Thanks, that's nice. - I'll show you our route. It's...

Ah, my friends...

Yet another great day of adventuring!

I can’t wait for tomorrow!

In any case, so far...

... so good.

OK, let me tell you an anecdote.

It was the middle of the night, and suddenly...

BOOM !

We went over a rock

in the middle of the ocean!

I woke up in a panic,

I thought we were gonna sink.

For me, it was as if

it was the end.

The engine was still running

and everything was tilted! I fell against that wall

And I see the door,

that's supposed to be like this,

is now like that.

If the hull didn't shatter,

it's because Mike, who is experienced,

pimped his boat for Arctic exploration

and added skates at the front.

The boat then slides on rocks

instead of shattering.

That's the extent of my knowledge.

Thanks Mike, for having everything covered.

Let me tell you, it was super scary!

What drives you in life?

I always need to...

... to feel challenged, to see new things...

... to build up from something I don't understand.

What drives me is what I don't know.

But do you really know who you are?

Ehh...

When Mike contacted me after Kyrgyzstan,

I knew he had something in mind.

According to him,

you don't really know yourself until you've been in danger,

until you've really tested your limits.

We sailed all night

because Mike spotted a place he has never been to.

It's the perfect situation to apply his philosophy.

Today's plan is to reach a glacier,

climb on it,

walk,

walk,

walk some more,

and then climb up a mountain

no one has ever climbed.

- Are you ready or what? - Yup.

I feel like I'm a member of Special Forces.

Got my climbing harness ready,

bag is packed,

weather is perfect, I'm motivated...

... let's climb a mountain!

Go, go, go, go!

Good!

Water is leaking from everywhere

it's quite impressive. Listen!

Just listen!

It sounds like rain in a rainforest.

But in fact it's a melting glacier.

Greenland is the world's largest island.

It's also the world's least populated area,

with only 56.000 inhabitants.

As many people as in the 5th arrondissement of Paris.

only a million times bigger.

Three quarters of Greenland's surface

is covered with ice.

Let's get those crampons out.

Of course, they're right at the bottom!

OK guys, I'm gonna put you in my bag. Bye!

Is that solid?

Perfect!

It was solid after all!

Fuck, look at the cracks!

The way up is obvious, it's right there!

Careful with your toenail, though!

Why not go through there, while we're at it?

There!

I wouldn't really trust this one, unless you want it to fall on your head!

- Nice, fresh water! - Yeah!

So we finally reached the glacier.

It's a bit flatter from here.

Apparently, from here to the other end of the island,

for 1000 km,

it looks like this.

So according to Mike,

we are going to pick a mountain that has never

been climbed before, and give it a name.

I'll think of a name during the walk.

It's tough to come up with a cool name.

How do you call a mountain?

There's no such thing as a nice mountain.

I might name a mountain

and I haven't named a kid yet!

And I'll make sure to remind my kid:

"you're not the first thing I named!"

"You're the little brother!"

I told you how I feel about walking before,

so I won't do it again.

But it's still a magical moment to free your mind.

You fully live in the moment

and for me, it's a genuine way to disconnect.

It’s rare.

And sometimes... ideas are brought to life!

OK guys, here's a crazy good idea.

With a super-drill,

we dig down to 100 m deep

and fill the hole with grenadine syrup.

In the middle of the glacier.

If we pour enough liquid

in that big, fat hole,

I think that all the dripping water will be turned

into grenadine syrup,

making the planet way more....

... coco-junky?

Wow, look at you, jumping like a champ!

Ready to eat?

Get your spoon out!

I bet you can tell I'm starving!

So guys, here's our lunch:

pasta bolognese,

dark chocolate,

one protein bar,

dried fruits,

(ok, not great),

and it all fits in here!

1300 calories!

Expiration date: last April!

In this kind of expedition,

you need to have a clear objective.

But with Mike, you have to be aware that at any moment,

everything can change.

Because his main drive...

... is instinct.

So we followed our instinct.

Well, mostly his.

After hours of walking across the glacier to reach this moutain,

he changed his mind and we finally settled on...

... that one.

Wow, I feel...

Do I look exhausted?

Walking 3 hours over there for nothing,

that killed me!

If we had started with this, I could have told Mike:

your climb is easy-peasy!

I won't admit it to him, but his walk through the glacier...

it killed me!

And when we reached the end, he said:

"How about we climb that one over there instead?"

That's where we were at the beginning.

Yup!

It's a mental test!

He's testing me!

But I won't give up!

I'll make it to the top!

But I'm super tired,

he got me good!

I'll spare you the first few hours of walking, nothing out of the ordinary.

But let me tell you about

the last few hours.

When I left the team behind me to catch up to Mike,

who's a way faster walker than I am.

Mike? We're sending Seb over to you.

He's got two ice axes with him

and we have his bag, so he can be light and quick.

OK, keep everything!

- Nice to see you again! - Well done! You're about to make it to your first peak!

Look over there!

We're almost there!

My feet are so dead!

But my head feels great!

Perfect, see you soon!

Let's go?

Wait, I'm taking a mini-break.

Just give me 2 minutes...

... and 30 seconds!

Come on!

We're going to that round-looking summit over there.

- All the way up there ? - Yeah.

- The round one? - Yup.

We're not that far!

Yeah, it's right there!

Come on.

Hold on, let me take a breath.

Let's enjoy it for a bit.

I don't know what happened,

but I suddenly started to struggle.

Physically, mentally...

It all went down at the same time.

Guys, I'm struggling.

We're not there yet, it's tough.

There is a hill, then a peak, then a hill, then a peak...

blood pressure is low,

I left all my stuff down there for a light climb,

I've got no food, no water.

I've been walking all day,

I'm so tired. I'm gonna make it, but...

it's hard.

Something happened in my brain.

At that very moment, I started

to feel like I was in hot waters.

Nice going!

I'm dead.

Feel like throwing up, got shaky legs....

- We're not giving up now. - No.

Mountains are tough motherfuckers!

One hour ago, I was in shape.

So, what happened?

No clue.

Exhaustion, hunger,

low blood pressure,

physical burnout...

You don't know what's going on anymore,

nor why.

God, it's still so far.

I'm so done.

My body is in overdrive.

Who the fuck cares about that mountain anyway?

I was so exhausted

that I couldn't focus on positive thoughts anymore,

just when I needed it the most.

It's tough.

I'm suffering mentally.

I only need some sugar, for fuck's sake.

I can feel my legs shaking.

There is your summit!

She's waiting for you!

You go first!

She's all yours!

Son of a bitch, it's too hard.

Luckily, after a few hours climb,

the summit wasn't so far away.

Come on, you go.

We're gonna make it!

There you go.

Are we there? Fuck!

Well done.

- I’m glad! - Well done!

Well done, holy shit!

I am proud of you!

I didn't think you had the balls!

I am so, so out of energy.

The last 300 m were hell,

I didn't know how I'd make it.

I'm glad I made it,

but now I'm afraid to go down.

My legs are so tired, they're not working properly.

And I think going down is the most dangerous part.

Going down is when...

... people can get hurt.

Shit, we did it bro!

- I'm so glad! - Well done!

I'm so glad I did it with you!

Our little Seb is mighty strong!

Now, we have to go down as fast as we can.

How are we gonna do it?

Be careful.

- Are you OK ? - Yeah...

I'm all out of reflexes!

We're all attracted to the summit,

but we often forget about the going down part.

It is a moment of extreme fatigue,

when most accidents happen.

Papa, can you read me?

Yeah I can read you. Where are you guys?

Everybody is waiting for you.

Yeah... it's just that Sébastien is finished...

... I'll have to carry him or something. But he needs food...

I can have Lucas climb back up.

It will take some time, but he's on his way.

OK, perfect, let him come up.

That's when I understood that

Mental Strength is what is left

when you have nohing else, no other choice.

I'm cold all over.

I've never felt that bad.

We're together, you and I.

We're going down at your pace, because

I can't leave you by yourself.

It's so hard to wake up!

My throat is so dry.

Yesterday was hardcore.

Mike is crazy!

I'm late for watchkeeping. Fuck.

Let's go.

Yesterday, we did it.

I'm super happy, but

I have no idea

of how it all started, that moment.

I remember looking at the horizon,

taking in the awesome view,

I think we even said it.

And I have this sensation, as if I've stood up too fast,

and everything around me starts moving around,

like I'm stoned. Like I'm on drugs.

And I'm like, "wow", I start shaking...

From that point on, I don't know how I managed to follow you,

but I was dragging my feet.

Actually, you reached a state of exhaustion,

physically, mentally,

that you have never experienced before.

And you were walking like a guy who drank 4 bottles of liquor

drunk as a skunk,

and I said : "Now, he needs to focus."

And through focusing, through commitment,

all of those tired thoughts point towards one direction:

survival.

It was survival stage for you.

I felt the same way

when I climbed in the North Pole, the South Pole...

and if you don't reach that stage...

you're just taking a stroll!

What you did back there, it makes you move forward in life!

You need to see this once in your life.

When the sun sets in the Arctic,

they call it "Midnight sun".

It remains on the horizon for hours.

Bathed in its golden light,

you completely lose track of time.

Look, look, the sun is coming!

It's one of the most beautiful things

that I have seen in my life.

That I will ever see, probably! That's completely crazy!

I've seen Zidane play...

... and now this.

I'm done, that's enough!

I mean, what's missing?

I think that is...

one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. Maybe THE most beautiful.

It's breathtaking.

I am deeply grateful.

For years, I've been

sharing my life with you guys.

It has allowed me to experience

those intense, crazy moments.

Sometimes, I need to remind you guys of that.

I think it's important.

So yes, I'm mostly able to do all this thanks to you.

I needed to remind you, because what I'm experiencing right now,

the way I'm blown away right now,

I want you to feel some of it too

even if it's not the same through a screen.

I don't know.

It's amazing.

Let me share you what I've learned from this experience:

it's okay

to find something insurmountable.

It's okay to want to give up.

It's okay to believe that your goal

cannot be achieved.

I've always thought that "pushing limits" was a hollow phrase.

The concept of a "comfort zone"

is, for most of us, a privilege.

But if you get out of it sometimes, it allows you to explore new paths,

to understand a bit more things about the world we live in.

And for me,

that makes sense.

I was lucky enough

to experience a moment of pure instinct,

something unthinkable in my everyday life.

Maybe that's what Mike wanted to show me.

The true test was to determine how far I could go.

Mike told me something I will not forget:

"Learn to love

what you don't like to do."

Have you ever

jumped in 0°C water?

Here, with all the icebergs!

OK Seb, listen!

There's a small iceberg here,

You're here, I'm there.

And the water here is at -2°C.

And you're going to jump!

Okay?

- It's very short, right? - Very short!

Only a few seconds.

1, 2, 3!

What, now?

You gave me the chills!

Nicely done!

Remember to stay calm.

You’re going to shock your body.

Remain calm, and swim slowly.

I'm going in.

Calm! Swim slowly!

Stay a few seconds!

I don't know if I'm mentally stronger than yesterday

but from now on,

I will learn to love what I don’t like to do.

I hope it will help me go on even more adventures.

Thank you Mike, for teaching me.

Godspeed on your expedition.

See you soon, I hope!

Oh by the way!

We named the mountain...

Mental Strength

It’s a shitty name but...

It’s a beautiful ending.