Fear Is Fuel: What Mountain Climbing Taught Nelly Attar About Taking Risks In Business

In the world of extreme sports, the stakes are high—quite literally.

As a mountaineer who has climbed over 40 peaks and is the first Lebanese to summit the five highest mountains in the world, I’ve learned that taking risks isn’t just part of the process—it is the process itself.

From the sand dunes to the highest peaks, climbing has shaped the way I approach leadership, decision-making and life itself. These principles, I’ve found, are essential in business too. Here’s what mountains have taught me about navigating uncertainty—and how those lessons can translate into your own professional path.

1. It’s All About Team Effort

Climbing might look like a solo pursuit from the outside, but no one reaches the top of a mountain alone. Every summit is a shared success.

I remember my very first major expedition—I was so focused on doing “the right things” by myself. But from preparing gear to planning each day, moving at altitude, cooking meals, and setting up our tents, it was all about team effort and shared decisions. None of it was “solo.”

The risks, successes, and failures are shared, from the 4000-meter peaks to the 8000-meter giants. Your rope team becomes your lifeline. We’re only as strong as the weakest link, which means we all need to be in sync, constantly moving at a pace that serves and protects the team. The better we work together, the safer and more successful the climb. The rope that binds us protects us from slipping into crevasses or taking a lethal fall.

It’s no different in business. Behind every successful venture is a team working harmoniously toward a shared vision. That rope? It’s the open communication, trust, and alignment across roles. It’s the dance between strengths and weaknesses that moves an entire company forward. True achievement—even in in solo pursuits—comes from solid support systems and collective momentum.

2. To Achieve Big Results, You Need to Take Big—But Calculated—Risks

Every summit requires risk. The higher you go, the more uncertain it gets. The bigger the mountain, the bigger the risks. But mountaineers don’t throw caution to the wind—we study the route, prepare like our lives depend on it, and still move forward with conviction, always staying alert. As many of us say, “We hope for the best, and plan for the worst.”

I’ll never forget K2, one of the world’s most dangerous peaks. When I signed up, people reminded me constantly of its 25 percent fatality rate. But I kept thinking: if over 300 people had summited it before, why couldn’t I? I trained relentlessly, stayed alert every step of the way, and leaned into the fear—because fear kept me sharp. I didn’t know how far I could go until I tried.

Business leaders need this same mindset. Playing it safe often means staying stagnant and keeping impact at bay. But taking smart, calculated risks, be it by stepping into unknown territory, trying something new, leveling up, leaning toward bigger and scarier goals, those are the moves that open doors and create real impact. Those are the moves that take you from point A to point X.

Of course, you’ll never feel completely ready, and the timing will never be perfect. Sometimes, you just have to start climbing. Plus, not every climb ends in victory. I’ve turned back just 500 meters from a summit. I’ve failed. Many times. I’ve been humbled by mountains that looked manageable on paper but proved far more challenging in reality. But every time, I’ve learned something crucial, adapted my approach, and kept going.

If there’s one thing I’ve realized from these “failed” attempts, it’s that they weren’t failures at all. They were the ingredients for something invisible but essential—resilience. Each time you face uncertainty, feel fear creeping in, experience doubt and hesitation, yet choose to take action anyway, you’re strengthening a muscle that can’t be measured, but makes all the difference.

In leadership, resilience is what keeps you going long after motivation fades. It’s what helps you get up after a product launch flops, funding falls through, or a key team member quits. Knowing when to pause, pivot, or push through isn’t weakness; it’s strategy. And it’s what keeps you in the game, ready for the next opportunity.

3. Big Summits Are Attained, One Step, And One Anchor At A Time

On a climb, you can’t think about the entire route at once. You focus on the next step, the next handhold, the next anchor. Thinking about the summit—or even the end of the day—can be overwhelming and demotivating, especially when you have hours of climbing in extreme conditions ahead. On 8000-meter peaks, the expedition can last six weeks. Imagine fixating on the summit from day one—it would drain you.

What I tell myself on every climb is: “Every day is summit day.” Take it as it comes. Prepare like it’s both your first and last day on the mountain. Each day, I think about what to eat, how to dress, the gear I need, and the mindset I need to perform. Once we set off, it’s step by step, breath by breath. There’s nothing more grounding than being fully present. The whole world stops; yet, somehow, I feel in my power—in my element.

It’s the same in business. The big vision is your summit—your north star. But real progress lies in the small, consistent actions you take daily. Don’t obsess over the end goal so much that it paralyzes you. Focus on the next milestone, the next decision, the next step forward.

The mountains are the perfect metaphor. We’re most likely to succeed with the right preparation, effective teamwork, persistence, focus, and a willingness to take calculated risks. In business, just like in climbing, there are no guarantees—but there are proven steps to success. Build the right team, and trust them. Embrace setbacks, and learn from every redirection or rejection. Break down your vision into actionable goals. And most importantly, feel the fear and move anyway.

Whether you’re crossing a ladder on a ridge at 8000 meters, or pitching a bold idea in a boardroom, fear is inevitable—and that’s a good thing. It keeps you sharp.

But the real risk isn’t in fear—it’s in staying stagnant. The biggest risk of all is never starting the climb.

About The Author

Nelly Attar is an extreme sports athlete, mountaineer and sports entrepreneur.

All images courtesy Nelly Attar.