Many climbers become writers because of the misconceptions about climbing.

...by bringing myself over the edge and back, I discovered a passion to live my days fully, a conviction that will sustain me like sweet water on the periodically barren plain of our short lives.

Climbing is one of the few sports in which the arena (the cliffs, the mountains and their specific routes) acquire a notoriety that outpopulates, outshines and outlives the actual athletes.

By reading so much, my vocabulary automatically improved along with my comprehension.

Life is a practice. When you 'fail, ' you can immediately begin practicing again.

I used to be shy about ordering a steak after I had eaten a steak sandwich, but I got used to it.

The more one thinks, the more one feels the hopeless immensity of man's ignorance.

I think that most of us would prefer to be popular than unpopular.

Being a role model is about being true to myself.

It is sad, indeed, to see how man wastes his opportunities. How many could be made happy, with the blessings which are recklessly wasted or thrown away.

I haven't bought anything excessive. I do plan on buying an island and filling it with baby tigers, though.

You cannot reduce the complexity of a given task beyond a certain point. Once you've reached that point, you can only shift the burden around.

Outside the ring I work hard when I train and I spend as much time as I can with my family when I'm not training.