My Inner Teenager
/Discovering the line between confidence and arrogance
Mt. Adams, the second peak on the Presidential Traverse, was engulfed in fog and raging winds when Bassam Tarazi attempted it. (Photo by Bassam Tarazi)
When Bassam Tarazi set out to hike the 23-mile Presidential Traverse in New Hampshire, he wasn't worried. It was a nice summer day, he had a lifetime of mountaineering experience behind him, and compared to his other outdoor conquests, this would be easy.
But over the course of the next few hours, he would come to realize what a dangerous miscalculation he had made. It was a miscalculation that would scare him to the point of tears and would cause him question the value of his own confidence.
On this episode, he shares his story. It's a story about what happens when your inner teenager takes over -- when you cross the invisible line between confidence and cockiness.
“I thrived off of the momentary discomfort that comes from putting yourself out there and taking risks, because the rewards were so fulfilling.”
Bassam Tarazi is an explorer and author based in Portland, Oregon. His latest book is called Borders, Bandits and Baby Wipes: A Big Adventure in a Tiny Car.
