We’ve had two married couples on the podcast so far, and today I’m excited to introduce a third – Martin and Kym Frey. On April 17, 2016, Martin Frey became the first person in the world to climb the Seven Summits – the highest peaks on each continent – and sail the Seven Seas. While Kym may not have climbed to the top of each mountain with him, she was nonetheless integral to Martin’s accomplishment. As he put it, she served as a “great source of strength and confidence,” becoming his biggest cheerleader and never letting him give up on his goals.
While climbing mountains is a difficult and remarkable task, the Frey’s also help others to conquer “invisible mountains.” Together they run the Seven Summits Seven Seas Foundation, a non-profit for adults and young adults that focuses on “summit journeys,” helping them overcome emotional challenges and goals, and finding a “safe harbor” while they lay out a pathway for their life.
“We realize that there are invisible mountains. It doesn’t have to be an actual mountain that you need to conquer. Or an invisible ocean that you need to cross… the idea again of disrupting yourself and taking yourself on an adventure and trying to get over those invisible mountains, it’s a tough job, but you can do it. You can do it if you have the right tools in place.”
-Kym Frey
From tiny islands in the South Pacific to the peak of Mt. Everest, the Frey’s have learned that stepping out of their comfort zone and accepting new challenges brings joy to their lives in ways they never would have anticipated.
Listen to the episode in the player above, or download and enjoy it on iTunes. If you’re so inclined, please leave us a review!
Takeaways from this episode:
- Sometimes it is helpful to “step out of a situation” for a while. Read a book, watch a movie—find some cathartic release to help you gain the energy to try again.
- Martin may have been the one climbing mountains, but he admits that Kym was a “great source of strength and confidence” because she not only supported him but knew what he was capable of and would help him to focus on the goal.
- Kym began their adventurous life together with a deep fear of water, but through trust in Martin and a desire to break out of her comfort zone, she was able to transform through that adventure and reshape her paradigm.
- Entertainment is passive. Adventure is a growth experience. “There’s risk, there’s uncertainty. There’s all these things that expand our sense of self that entertainment doesn’t simply provide.”
- Learn not to “expect” and just enjoy the journey (it can make all the difference in the world!)
- Martin and Kym agreed early on that no matter the cost involved if Martin was in a situation he felt was a dangerous attempt then he would turn around. Kym trusted that Martin would follow through on this promise, saving herself from worry and allowing her to be his biggest cheerleader.
- As Helen Keller said, “Life is a daring adventure.” Martin and Kym support each other in their “crazy” ideas and figure out together how they can make it happen.
- As part of their Seven Summits Seven Seas Foundation, Martin & Kym work with adults and young adults as they go on “summit journeys,” helping them overcome emotional challenges and goals, find a “safe harbor” and a place of stability while they lay out a pathway for their life.
Links Mentioned in this Episode:
- Martin Frey – Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn
- Kym Frey – Instagram
- Seven Summits Seven Seas Foundation
- Preparing for Change Mini-Course
- Build an A-Team: Play to Their Strengths and Lead Them Up the Learning Curve by Whitney Johnson
- Download a free chapter from Build an A-Team
