Most people think the greatest challenges in our loves are those very big, audacious goals; the complex and challenging intricacies of teams tackling new projects or ventures. Or, in a simpler sense, the actual Mount Everest. However, the greatest obstacles are the very ones we take for granted all of the time, the feelings of doubt and uncertainty. It is these things that hamper our ability to achieve any level of success.
Over a period of nine years Alex has spent 180 days on Mount Everest, leading teams in varying conditions before he finally succeeded summiting in 2005. Alex relates the trials and triumph of what it’s like to fight doubt and disbelief on the icy slopes of the world’s highest mountain, before finally tasting the sweetness of success.
Alex’s message is simple. Each one of us will one day face our own personal Everest. It might not be 8848ms of ice and snow, but whatever it is, our ability to overcome self-doubt and disbelief will allow us to taste success. Focusing on Passion, perseverance and that illusive thing called Purpose, this talk will change your perspective on what are the things that really challenge us.
Developing mental toughness and resilience through adversity, challenge, and deliberate practice.
Breaking the limit barrier and achieving the unbelievable through mindset transformation and strategic action.
In a world where precious metals, minerals, oil and natural gas are the traded and highly valued commodities, belief, and specifically self-belief will increasingly be valued higher and higher and come at a premium.
Alex has spent the last 20 years leading groups of executives and high performance teams on some of the world’s more challenging terrain; from the slopes of Kilimanjaro to the high plateau of Tibet and the wastelands of Antarctica. During this time he has noticed a very subtle but consistent theme. Irrespective of the challenge, the teams and individuals that have thrived and succeeded, and have consistently tasted success; have had one thing in common. Incredibly high levels of self-belief.
Alex describes the particulars of what gives these teams and individuals such high self-belief; from the process of ‘trading’ belief, like any other commodity, to creating and adding to a ‘belief pool’. Key to this process in understanding the concepts of positive and negative cycles of belief, and what we can do to shift from one to the other. Alex shares anecdotes and incredible pictures from the slopes of Everest to the icy cold of Antarctica to the desperate heart of the Arabian Desert.
This talk will empower you and give your team an unbeatable competitive edge. If you are wanting to know what the future differentiator is for high performance teams; it’s this. Self-belief and a set of skills to gradually increase your belief pool and make your competitors irrelevant!
Alex Harris is a world-renowned mountaineer, explorer, and extreme athlete whose name has become synonymous with resilience and fearless pursuit of the unknown. Born and raised in South Africa, Harris found his passion for adventure early, channeling it into a career that has taken him to some of the most unforgiving landscapes on Earth.
Best known for leading the world-first unsupported expedition across the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali), Harris has demonstrated the grit, planning, and sheer determination required to achieve the seemingly impossible. His accomplishments span mountaineering and endurance exploration, from scaling formidable peaks to surviving harsh deserts. With each feat, he showcases not just physical stamina but the mental clarity and resolve needed to thrive in extreme conditions.
Through his work, Harris has cemented his reputation as one of the foremost explorers of his generation. His story is not only about athletic achievement but also about pushing human limits, inspiring audiences to embrace resilience, adaptability, and courage in their own lives and organizations.
Alex Harris is a name synonymous with fearless exploration and unparalleled determination. Hailing from the enchanting landscapes of South Africa, Harris has carved his legacy as an esteemed mountaineer and extreme athlete. His remarkable feats include leading a groundbreaking expedition that achieved a world-first: traversing the daunting expanse of the Empty Quarter (Rub’ al Khali) in the Arabian Peninsula, all without external support. With an insatiable thirst for pushing boundaries and defying the odds, Harris exemplifies the epitome of human resilience and exploration.
Born and raised amidst the rugged terrain of South Africa, Harris developed an early affinity for adventure and the great outdoors. His passion for mountaineering ignited during his formative years, propelling him towards a life dedicated to conquering some of the world’s most formidable peaks. Through rigorous training and unwavering determination, Harris honed his skills, eventually earning recognition as one of the world’s foremost mountaineers.
Harris’s expertise extends beyond traditional mountaineering, encompassing a diverse array of extreme athletic pursuits. From navigating treacherous terrains to enduring harsh climates, he possesses a wealth of experience in pushing the boundaries of human endurance. Whether scaling towering summits or traversing unforgiving deserts, Harris thrives in environments where most would falter, showcasing his unparalleled resilience and determination.
With a string of awe-inspiring accomplishments to his name, Harris has cemented his status as a trailblazer in the realm of extreme exploration. His groundbreaking expedition across the Empty Quarter stands as a testament to his unwavering resolve and pioneering spirit. By leading a team to achieve the unprecedented feat of crossing this formidable desert unsupported, Harris etched his name in the annals of exploration history.
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This 5-minute, 17-second adventure showreel presents Alex Harris’s story as one of grit, curiosity and relentless pursuit of the extraordinary. He opens by reflecting on his childhood in Johannesburg, describing himself as a restless, adventurous kid who was always drawn to the unknown. He jokes that becoming a Jedi Knight wasn’t realistic, so he followed the passions that felt inevitable—passions that would take him to some of the most remote and hostile environments on earth.
The video cuts through visual moments of expeditions as he describes climbing the seven highest peaks on the world’s seven continents: Kilimanjaro, Aconcagua, Elbrus, Vinson, Carstensz Pyramid, Denali and Everest. His narration emphasises both the physical demand and the deep sense of purpose that drives him from one challenge to the next.
Alex then recounts one of his most extreme undertakings: crossing the Rub’ al Khali—the Empty Quarter—the largest sand desert in the world. The desert had never been crossed unsupported, and as soon as he learned that, he knew it would be his next challenge. Alongside Marco Riccardo and David Joyce, he undertook a 40-day, 1,200 km journey pulling a 400 kg cart across blistering sand. He describes the relentless heat, temperatures nearly 10 degrees hotter than expected, and the constant obsession with water as they pushed through sandstorms, twisted ankles and quicksand.
As the footage alternates between vast dunes and candid moments of exhaustion, Alex speaks about the mental toll of the expedition—days when the enormity of what remained felt overwhelming and moments when the team was physically broken. Yet he highlights how three very different individuals were forged into a unified team through shared hardship. Their belief grew strong enough to carry them to the finish.
Alex Harris begins by describing how uncertainty defined many of his expeditions, including times when he doubted whether his team would even make it through the day. While planning and preparation were crucial, he emphasizes that the single most important factor in achieving success was belief, not as a fleeting decision, but as a culture sustained over time.
He shares his early life in Johannesburg, where exposure to the Mountain Club sparked his mountaineering journey. This path led him to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent. His first expedition to Antarctica in 1999 involved leading a team up Mount Vinson. Facing extreme cold at –50°C, he convinced himself never to return, believing the continent too hostile for Africans.
As his career progressed, Harris’s pursuit of Everest connected him with Sibusiso Vilane, who would become the first Black African to summit Everest. They first met in 2003 on Harris’s second Everest attempt. Although Harris did not summit that year, his collaboration with Vilane marked the beginning of a deeper exploration of teamwork, resilience, and cultural significance in adventure.
Harris also references meeting legendary explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes, known as “the world’s greatest living explorer” for his numerous polar records. Harris frames these encounters and expeditions as illustrations of belief in action: how explorers from different backgrounds can come together, fueled by resilience and the conviction that survival and success are possible even in the harshest environments.
The talk underscores that in times of uncertainty whether in exploration or life the key to endurance is cultivating a sustained culture of belief.
00:00 Opening: uncertainty, doubt, and belief as the deciding factor
00:25 Johannesburg upbringing and introduction to mountaineering
00:50 First Antarctic expedition to Mount Vinson, facing –50°C
01:15 Meeting Sibusiso Vilane on Everest and Sir Ranulph Fiennes in exploration
01:40 Closing lesson: cultivating belief to endure and succeed in uncertainty
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A: His pioneering unsupported expedition across the Empty Quarter desert, alongside a career of record-setting climbs and endurance feats.
A: Yes, his talks are designed to translate extreme exploration into actionable lessons on resilience, planning, and leading under pressure.
A: Absolutely—he adapts his keynotes for corporate, educational, and adventure-focused audiences.
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