Aretha Duarte personifies courage. Her unshakable spirit was recently on full display when the 37-year-old climbed to the top of the world’s highest mountain. While this extraordinary feat showcased Duarte’s amazing physical strength and ascension skills, it also reflects the conditioning of a champion mind.
What a person thinks about their ability to reach a goal largely determines whether or not the goal will be achieved. With that in mind, what do you think Duarte was thinking about herself and her team as she prepared to climb? One of her statements offers clues. “Our team is made of human beings who breathe high performance, even when the air is thin. They open our minds to the impossible, even when routes close before our eyes.”
Notice how Duarte’s quote asserts winning as non-negotiable. Her words convey a certainty that anticipates AND overcomes challenges, before they occur. Such powerful speaking is instructive for preparing the mind to ascend mountains and in life.
To learn more about the beautiful Afro Latina reminding the world who Black women throughout the Diaspora really are, click here.