Meet Louise McEvoy

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Louise McEvoy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Louise, really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?

I discovered the mountains, a love for high-altitude mountaineering and a craving for the outdoors… from there, I uncovered my purpose.

It started in a way I wasn’t expecting. I got divorced, it wasn’t what I wanted, but I had to accept it; but I needed to move away. I asked my boss if he’d relocate me from Ottawa, Canada to our office in Northern California. He agreed… a year later.

Back in “those” days, Google Maps didn’t exist, cell phones were barely in use. I taped the directions of anywhere I needed to go to my dashboard, and the reverse directions back to my apartment.

I didn’t know many people and I was lonely! A friend of mine suggested reading about a book at the ’96 Everest disaster that killed many people. The story is tragic, but it ignited something in me that I didn’t even know existed – the concept of high-altitude mountaineering.

It now became my personal goal to see Mt. Everest – NOT to climb it! Because I wasn’t a climber, that’s only for the professionals!

4 years later, I was laid off from a different job – I got a severance package, but had nowhere to go the next day; I found an adventure company leaving for Everest base camp in 2 weeks. They had 16 spots, 15 were taken, 1 was left and I booked it. I landed in Kathmandu, Nepal and didn’t realize I’d be spending 3 weeks in a tent- I was a newbie to this. But it didn’t matter, because along that trek, I saw Everest for the first time in real life – I made a second promise to myself – that I’d climb the mountain.

It became my personal goal.

I then spent 14 years climbing the world’s highest mountains in pursuit of Everest. Many years of training and sacrifice, and it was worth it. I set that goal, I embraced the challenge, it was scary, but I knew this is where I was supposed to be. It forced me to get out of my comfort zone – 7 weeks on the mountain in tents and 6 weeks without a shower; it was definitely a sacrificed, but it was SO worth it!

I made the summit of Everest on my first try; but I’ve since realized that my journey isn’t finished, I’m still on it. The summit allowed me to embrace more changes and fear than I never knew were open to me.

I’m very close to my sister, but we live far apart and we don’t see each other often – we started a small business about this journey – and because of it, we talk every day and it’s brought us closer. I’ve spoken at conferences, women’s groups, schools, and organized groups about my journey – 87x in 7 countries. I try to inspire, motivate, share hard things and give people the confidence that there’s always good on the other side. The feedback I’ve gotten has been so motivating and inspiring for me! What I hope to do for others, they’re doing for me. I’m very blessed.

I also started an experience weekend with a close friend mine – we take women on high altitude hikes in Colorado, above 14k ft. We encourage them to try something out of their comfort zone, in a supportive environment. They meet new friends, do something that brings them together, and they go home knowing that they’ve done something that they didn’t know existed, or didn’t think was possible for themselves. Again, how blessed am I to introduce my love of the mountains to others!

I can’t ask for more, but I know there’s more good ahead. I invite you to think about what’s your summit – embrace the hard things and know that you’re exactly where you need to be and it’s going to be great!

Thank you for allowing me to share my personal journey and how I found my purpose. I hope I planted some “seeds” and gave you thoughts on what yours is – be open to change, opportunities and doing hard things. And know that sometimes hard things (divorce, layoff, relocation, loneliness) come your way for good reason; and simple things – like reading a book, can change your life forever.

Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?

After summiting Everest, I was asked by a friend at the gym if I’d take a call from a teacher at a local elementary school. She was booking people to talk to the kids to inspire them about different careers… police officers, firefighters, and me – a mountaineer.

She failed to mention that the kids had developmental disabilities; but it was too late to change my presentation. You know what I did? I changed nothing, and talked to the kids as though they were my peers. They had a ton of questions, were extremely interested and made my day!

The Principal approached me after and said she’d never seen the kids sit so still, ask so many questions and be so engaged.

You know the lesson I learned here? If you treat people like they’re normal people, they act normal! If I talked to them slowly, used different words, acted different towards them – maybe they would’ve responded in kind. But I didn’t have time to change my presentation and I’m so glad I didn’t! The kids were wonderful, beautiful, inspiring – and they weren’t challenged. They were perfectly imperfect, just like me!

After starting The Climbing Executive with my sister, our goal is to meet people where they are. To help them uncover their Everest, to help them reach their summit, to inspire, motivate, and be a friendly mountaineer – not untouchable, as though I’ve done something special that they can’t aspire to – but that I’m just like them, and they’re capable of anything they set their mind to!

I love hearing other people’s stories; but what I love more? relating them back to what I can do. Now that’s inspiring!

As part of The Climbing Executive, please watch for a newly-launched podcast, “Finding Your Everest” and a YouTube channel on hiking, climbing and camping for beginners. Because we all need to start somewhere.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Looking back, what got me to the summit were 3 things:
The ability to let go of things I couldn’t control, and control the one thing that I was most in control of.
Six months before leaving for Everest, I was frantic about the unknown – the team, my health on the mountain, the conditions on the mountain, and so much more. I realized that I can’t control most things. To support my A+ personality type, I needed to be in control of something, while letting go of everything I couldn’t control. The one thing I could control was my fitness. So, I focused solely on getting the most fit I ever was. Everything else… I let go of. That was a huge lessons for me!

Next, my mindset. While on the mountain, I was sick, I pulled two ribs from coughing, I had a chest cold (at high altitude, that’s hard!), I was tired and in pain. But… I decided that the only way to get up the mountain was to accept the pain and move on. I changed my mindset while climbing the Lhotse Face from camp 2 to camp 3. Just like that. I accept that my ribs hurt, that I couldn’t breathe and nothing was easy. But I’m climbing Mount Everest – it’s not supposed to be easy! Accepting the pain and discomfort was lifechanging in that moment. Everyone can change their mindset, but sometimes you have to be pushed to the brink before realizing it.

Lastly, I realized that as exhausted and sick as I was – if I just kept putting one foot in front of the other, I’d eventually reach the summit. But… if I stopped and turned around, I’d be going backwards. So, I decided to keep moving forward. I use that metaphor in life all the time now. Baby steps, put one foot forward and eventually I (all of us) will reach out goal. Don’t turn around. Reaching our goal is hard, but it’s so worth it. I’ve got you!

Awesome, really appreciate you opening up with us today and before we close maybe you can share a book recommendation with us. Has there been a book that’s been impactful in your growth and development?

Recently, I read “Becoming Supernatural”, recommended by my amazing stepdaughter, Kiara.

The book talks about breaking free from destructive thoughts, negative emotions and energy and how… if we turn our thoughts and energy to the positive, we attract good energy and our life will follow a path that was meant for us. The ability to change our physical selves from the average person to someone who is beyond human. How impactful!

I use this advise as I build The Climbing Executive; starting a business is hard, especially while working full time.. but I’m supernatural – we all are! So why can’t I follow my dream and make it happen? I will with my sister, Susan. We can make it happen. We will guide, speak, write, and much more. We want to make a positive impact in this world, the “baby steps” that I noted early; because if we’re not trying, we’re not moving forward. I invite you to follow us at @theclimbingexecutive for inspiration and to learn more!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.theclimbingexecutive.com
• Instagram: @theclimbingexecutive

Image Credits

Laura Bravo Mertz, Solifoto @laurabravomertz