Pushing the Boundaries! How to Get More Out of Life

By Peter Jennings

Peter Jennings talks with 32 inspiring individuals from around the world who achieve success
by pushing boundaries, taking risks, and thinking outside the box.
“Profiles delivered first-hand by a master interviewer and storyteller.”
“Pushing the Boundaries should be on everyone’s ‘must read’ list for this year. It’s an inspired work that compels you to examine your life choices and motivates you to be the best version of yourself through the sheer power of the stories Peter shares.”
“Peter takes us to the living rooms, across the desks and into the faces of these achievers, who reveal their strengths (and a few weaknesses), their secrets, and their view of the world in language we can all appreciate and understand.”
“In his enviable writing and interviewing style, Peter is able to capture and document the qualities possessed by those who reach inspirational goals.”
“There are no adjectives sufficient to describe these people, their journeys and the incredible way Peter Jennings has captured and shared them. Wow! I just couldn’t tear myself away.”

• Language: English
• Publisher: Castle Carrington Publishing
• Release date: Aug 27, 2021
• ISBN: 9781990096280

Peter Jennings

Prior to turning to writing full time, Peter spent his career in corporate communications running agencies handling marketing, advertising, branding, public relations and production of multimedia content, including websites and social media elements. Clients included hundreds of top-ranked businesses of all types and sizes, from McDonald’s, Procter & Gamble, Royal Bank, IBM, Coca-Cola, etc. to niche start-ups.Peter has been a Guest Lecturer on marketing at Centennial College and at the Government of Ontario’s Self Employment Assistance Program (where he was voted 9 out of 10 for effective teaching by the students). He has served on the Boards of several charities, as well as chairing Boards, and provides pro bono marketing expertise to various not-for-profit groups. He also mentors members of his community who seek writing and communications advice.Peter is the author of 9 books (with more coming) including...• "Shark Assault: An Amazing Story of Survival" (sharkassault.com)• "Being Happy Matters" (beinghappymatters.life)• "Behind the Seams: The Marilyn Brooks Story" (marilynbrooks.com)• "Pushing The Boundaries" (pushingtheboundaries.life)• "For Want Of 40 Pounds" (forwantof40pounds.com)• "Until I Smile At You" (untilismileatyou.com)• "Ruth's Wonderful Song" (thewonderfulsong.com)"Icons. Growing Up In The Shadow Of Greatness" (iconsbook.life)He is currently researching/writing others.In his leisure time, Peter enjoys regular visits with his son, two daughters-in-law, son-in-law and his young granddaughters. Also part of the festivities is his rescue dog Macy (a lab/shepherd mix). When he's not writing, he delights in Fairview, his modern lakeside residence overlooking Georgian Bay at Mundy's Harbour, Midland, where activities include listening to cool jazz and symphony, spirited conversations with good friends, singing, cooking, films and travel.

Book preview

ACCOLADES

Early praise for Pushing The Boundaries

An inspired and inspiring work

Pushing the Boundaries should be on everyone’s ‘must read’ list for this year. It’s an inspired and inspiring work that compels you to examine your life choices and motivates you to be the best version of yourself through the sheer power of the stories he shares. Peter Jennings is a master at attracting diverse, unique interviewees, and Pushing the Boundaries is no exception. It will renew your faith in humanity. You will come away uplifted and inspired to live life to the fullest, take leaps of faith, make a difference in the world, and push your own boundaries.

Cindy Watson, author

Out of Darkness: the Jeff Healey Story

A Real Page Turner!

A unique collaboration of wide-ranging diversity brought together to inspire, stir your soul, and leave you yearning for more of, and for, yourself. The author takes us on a journey through discussions with extraordinary and ordinary people who lead varied lives. Pushing the Boundaries instills the certainty that not only should you color outside the lines but the belief that you can.

Carrie Trip, author

A master interviewer and storyteller

No one dares avoid this book. Here are ground breakers, icons, daredevils, innovators, mavericks, and champions—some are celebrated, others not—but most are those men and women defiant and confident enough to tell the rest of the world to go to hell, and then live to talk about it. And here are their profiles delivered first-hand by a master interviewer and storyteller. Peter Jennings clearly admires his sources. As a life-long communicator, he has pushed a few boundaries himself. But knowing that we want more than just a shopping list of character sketches and achievements, he also takes us to the living rooms, across the desks, and into the faces of these over-achievers, who reveal their strengths (and a few weaknesses), their secrets, and their view of the world in language we can all appreciate and understand.

Ted Barris, author

(tedbarris.com)

A roadmap to attaining new horizons

In his enviable writing and interviewing style, Peter is able to capture and document the qualities possessed by those who reach inspirational goals. Through a wide range of personalities and accomplishments, he challenges us to dig deep to evaluate how our approach to overcoming obstacles measures up. An enjoyable read and a roadmap to attaining new horizons.

JRM

Feels like I’m part of the conversation: I love that

I love Peter’s casual writing style and the ensuing conversations that go back and forth between him and the interviewee. As a reader, it makes me feel like I’m sitting down with the two of them and am part of the conversation. I love that. It makes me feel included and with that statement, likely important, because I’ve been invited in. I also enjoyed the summations of each chapter at the end of the book. The lessons learned became a clear, concise synopsis—kind of like a road map that one could take away and perhaps incorporate some of the lessons into one’s own life.

SW

Very impressed by the range of voices

I read the material with engagement and interest. Very impressed by the range of voices and inspiring stories you have managed to assemble and by the meaningful and inspiring messages communicated by each.

Elizabeth Sheinkman, Senior Agent

Peters Fraser+Dunlop

Inspiring. Astonishing

From time to time, the opportunity comes along to praise the dedication and hard work of a respected acquaintance. Reading Pushing The Boundaries was a rollercoaster of emotions. Inspiring. Astonishing. Peter has captured the true essence of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. It’s helped me take charge of my life in a whole new way. I love it! (And what an honor to be included amongst them.)

Yvonne Heath, author

loveyourlifetodeath.com)

I love your positive attitude and ironic tone

From a literary point of view, there is no need to say that is a very well done job. It is obvious that you have a good experience in writing, interviewing, collecting information, and transforming it into a motivation for your public. I love your positive attitude and your ironic tone, which can always steal smiles.

Ginevra Grasso, Editor

Europe Books

Also by Peter Jennings

Shark Assault: An Amazing Story of Survival

sharkassault.com

Until I Smile At You: The Ruth Lowe Story

untilismileatyou.com

Ruth’s Wonderful Song: A Story for Kids

thewonderfulsong.com

For Want Of 40 Pounds

forwantof40pounds.com

Behind The Seams

marilynbrooks.com

Re-Launching in 2021

A Guide To Happiness

Aguidetohappiness.life

Coming in 2022

Icons. Growing Up In The Shadow Of Greatness

iconsbook.life

D EDICATION

Pushing The Boundaries: How To Get More Out Of Life is dedicated to my late son Jamie, who died suddenly on Christmas Eve, 2016, at age 34. Jamie loved life and lived it to the fullest, pushing the boundaries whenever limitations got in his way. He taught me a lot. He was my hero.

And to George Cohon, Founder of McDonald’s Restaurants of Canada, McDonald’s in Russia, and Ronald McDonald Children’s Charities in Canada and Russia. He has become such an ardent supporter of this project. Thank you, George, for championing my work and creating opportunities.

And to my son, Charlie, an extremely bright guy. Charlie’s an educator and he helped me shift directions in this book by asking great questions, encouraging me to think about my thesis: just why do these people push boundaries and, specifically, how can we be more like them? Thanks, Charlie, this is a better book because of your ideas. You too are my hero.

And to my wonderful friend, Rosie Leeson, who acted as Editor Supreme by getting me to look objectively at what I was writing and forcing me to add more focus. This book is better because of her sharp thinking.

And finally, to all the people who shared their stories with me to be reflected in this book: you are truly brave superstars!

Contents

ACCOLADES

DEDICATION

Food For Thought

FOREWORD

PREFACE

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Chapter 31

Chapter 32

CHAPTER 33

EPILOGUE

TAKEAWAYS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

NOTES

Food For Thought

The most often mentioned feeling of remorse is:

"I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me."

Bonnie Ware, The Top Five Regrets of the Dying

FOREWORD

Are You Ready?

Jack Canfield1

When Peter Jennings asked me to write the foreword for this book, it caused me to stop and think: what is it about successful people who have pushed beyond boundaries to succeed that makes them unique? And it’s this: they have the confidence and the courage to take risks in order to get ahead.

Think about that as you consider your own life. Are you ready to take chances to achieve your goals? Or is fear standing in your way? The fact is, fear is the single biggest thing that holds us back. Unless you can step past that fear, you’ll just end up playing it safe and avoid trying new things. And that means it’s unlikely you’ll ever fulfill the dream most of us have of living a more rewarding life. But remember this: fear is all about what might happen, not what will happen. And even more importantly, all your fears are self-created by your imagining a negative outcome. You have the power within you to overcome that fear by using the same power of imagination to envision the positive outcome you want, and then take the kind of calculated risks that can lead to success—just like the people you’ll read about in this book.

Now, do I expect you’re going to go out and start walking across chasms on a tightrope, swallow swords, sail around the world, or compete in trans-continental marathon races the way the people that Peter profiles in Pushing The Boundaries have done? No, I don’t. But I am certain you’ll gain more confidence, become inspired, take more chances, and achieve more of your heartfelt goals the way successful people do. First, they think about all that they’ve already achieved in their lives. Second, they don’t focus on the possibility of failure: they concentrate on the favourable outcomes they want. And when you do that too, you’ll find yourself growing beyond your current comfort zone and taking on new challenges, just like the trailblazers you’ll read about here. They have each made a conscious decision to ensure that fear does not stand in their way, by thinking outside the box, by being creative, and by developing the confidence to take risks.

I tell people that everything you want that you don’t already have is just on the other side of fear. Having the conviction to reach beyond your fears and take chances means you’re ready to achieve lasting success. And frankly, unless I was willing to do just that, I’d still be teaching history in a Chicago high school rather than running a multimillion-dollar enterprise as I do today.

So, let me encourage you to sit back and enjoy the people you’re about to meet as they push back life’s limitations. They are individuals just like you, who chose to rise above their limiting beliefs and fears, and who will inspire you to also rise above yours and move beyond the status quo of your current existence in order to achieve much greater satisfaction and fulfillment in life.

After all, who deserves success more than you?

PREFACE

So Begins a Journey of Discovery

Peter Jennings

In a world where we’re being ruled by Covid regulations, don’t you think we ought to take a moment to explore how we can color outside the lines and think outside the box, just to survive? I do, and that’s why I want to introduce you to 32 people from around the globe who are doing just that.

One of them is Alex Lewis. Do you know Alex? From Lockerly, England? By his own admission, he’s the kind of guy who lived the life of a lazy, unmotivated, alcoholic father of a little 3-year-old boy named Sam. Alex seemed to prefer spending time with his mates every day, swilling beer in the pub he co-owned with his girlfriend, Lucy, rather than accepting the responsibility of being a trustworthy parent and husband.

Not the stalwart example you’d expect to be reading about in a book that’s sub-titled How To Get More Out Of Life, right?

Well, wait till you check out Alex in Chapter 13. There, you’ll discover he’s quite an awesome guy who’s pushed boundaries like few others. You see, one day, with no warning at all, in the midst of his self-indulgent debauchery, he fell victim to Strep A Toxic Shock Syndrome. It led to septicaemia. Over the next several months, Alex endured traumatizing surgeries to save his life. This included the amputation of both his arms and his legs. Then came personal reconstruction of his face and mouth as the infection ravaged away, leaving him virtually unrecognizable.

Today, Alex Lewis lives an extraordinary life in a very different body. And in a very different manner.

I’ve been forced to appreciate what I have, Alex told me. "This whole thing has allowed me to stop taking things for granted. Lucy, me, and Sam: we’ve met the most amazing people, had the most amazing times and laughs, and the three of us are now so much closer together. It’s given me the kick-start I needed to get going again. I know it sounds odd, but I owe this illness a lot.

I still think I’ve got a long way to go, he added. Peter, I think I could do a lot more. In my state, this is just the beginning. I want to keep moving forward, keep helping other amputees… I mean, this may sound ridiculous, but I’m kind of glad all of this happened to me.

So, do you think that’s something you’d be saying after experiencing such a devastating attack on your body and soul? Honestly, I’m not sure I’d be up to it.

But it was the words of Alex Lewis—and 31 other individuals from around the world—who got me seeing how some people seem to have the wherewithal to throw aside caution and fears and take on new dimensions in their lives. These are people who, quite simply, get more out of life.

Ever felt you’d like to be more like them? Have you ever wondered how you can overcome obstacles that may stand in your way of achieving a more fulfilling existence?

I must say, I’m a little envious of these folks who feel restrictive rules are made for others. They’re prepared to go where the faint of heart never venture. They believe that coloring beyond the lines is A-OK.

Actually, I’ve had a lifelong fascination with what drives the psyches of people just like them. Perhaps it’s because I grew up in a family on the crossroads of Main-Street & Normal. My parents were the kind of compliant folks who never ventured outside the confines of how they were supposed to be. Seems there was some kind of rulebook that authorized the canons of life, and woe betide the person who dodged it.

And then, there are these words from Mark Twain that have always inspired me...

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbour. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Being a boater myself, this kind of thing always gets me thinking (usually a dangerous thing!).

And so, I decided to seek out some individuals who I figured had thrust back those over-arching limits of their own lives and mastered the art of experiencing their days on a different level. Real explorers, people who know how to overcome the apprehension many folks feel about taking risks that can deepen their participation in life’s wide adventures. It struck me that conducting a series of discussions with individuals like this from around the world could be pretty revealing.

As an interviewer by trade, I made up a list of potential men and women who I felt could broaden my understanding of their strategies while adding dimension to my investigation. In each case, the approach would be: listen, and then try to drop myself into their shoes to see if I might adopt the same actions and approaches they seem willing to take.

It didn’t take long for this to become the nucleus of a book—the one you’re reading.

As I started my voyage of discovery, three overriding questions presented themselves, and I wanted to be sure I addressed each with clarity:

What is the problem this book seeks to solve?

Why am I the best one to solve it?

How will this book be unique and different from others in the same space?

Dealing with that first question was straightforward: Pushing The Boundaries addresses how to overcome a lack of fulfilment. If you do, you are sure to live a better, happier life. An awesomer2 life. The profiles of the people I’ve interviewed have a WOW! factor. They’ve achieved success that goes beyond the norm. But as Jack Canfield says in the Foreword, Are you ready to take chances to achieve your goals? Or is fear standing in your way? That point helped me focus my objective for this book: namely, invite you to join me in finding the confidence and courage to overcome any fears we may have about taking risks, so we can end up with a better, more rewarding existence.

Turning to what makes me the logical person to handle this assignment: I have to tell you that well-known University of California psychologist Dr. Christine Carter has labeled me a Happiness Expert due to the quality of work I completed in researching/writing my book "A Guide to Happiness." That’s a label I don’t take lightly. With Pushing The Boundaries, I’ve developed similar depth of skill in defining how to overcome fear in order to achieve a richer, more fulfilling life. In fact, as I look back on writing A Guide To Happiness, it seems that people opened up to me about what actually makes them happy as opposed to merely discussing their feelings. I got them talking about overcoming what most of us think of as boundaries, and how this has allowed them to move ahead and adopt a more joyful outlook.

OK, now to the third question: how is this book unique? I think the answer to that will come from the way Pushing The Boundaries provides information in a positive and entertaining way that readers can relate to and put to use immediately. The people I profile offer a diverse range of stories and approaches, eclectic in nature, and revealed in a friendly, entertaining manner that avoids being overwhelming and never feels like a textbook. My objective is to get to the essence of each person’s story, delivering authentic value by putting the reader right there across the living room, office desk, or kitchen table from the subject.

And so, today, I’m pleased to introduce you to 32 individuals from around the world who’ve agreed to be profiled in this book. They are extraordinary men and women whose courage and stamina demand respect—whose circumstances have placed them in a position to accomplish more than the average human being might attempt—albeit, still mere mortals, but ones who have forced back the envelope, exceeding the confines we often feel obliged to stay within. They have overcome what we may accept as the cards life has dealt us, only to shoulder their way past the status quo, setting out on a broader, more demanding journey. And whether they are projecting qualities like persistence, courage, invincibility, or passion, there’s plenty we can learn from them.

Pushing The Boundaries! How To Get More Out Of Life is devoted to their pluck and the inspiration they create that offers the motivation for each of us to capitalize on our existence.

All right, let’s meet them. And let’s see what we can discover about these remarkable individuals, and about ourselves, as we search for the secret of how to be fearless in approaching the risks that push aside boundaries and lead to more rewarding lives.

Chapter 1

See if you can figure out what each of the following individuals has in common: we’re talking a man who can’t escape the calling of his family business (one that’s filled with danger); a lady who met death head on but who chose to fight back; a gentleman who understands the value of true partnership in order to leap ahead in a highly competitive realm; a doctor who, dressing as a clown, seeks to totally re-invent the medical profession; a steadfast woman who has become famous from out of nowhere as an international marathon running star; a celebrated man who battled a learning disorder yet still continues to succeed on the world stage; and a prominent network television executive whose answer to retirement is solving health dilemmas. What unites their abilities to ignore fears, take risks, and thrust past the margins many of us accept as fixed and firm?

Persistence. That’s right: it’s their ability to be single-minded in their aim, to be untiring, to be unrelenting, as they push forward, knowing their actions are worth taking risks.

How do they do this? Well, let’s find out as we meet Nik Wallenda, Marina Nemat, Donald Ziraldo, Patch Adams, Tuedon Morgan, Tommy Hilfiger, and Bob Wright. Each is about to teach us lessons on how determination and staying power can make the difference between success and failure. To them, pushing the boundaries starts with persistence.

* * *

NIK WALLENDA

Toto, I’ve a feeling we’re not in Kansas anymore!

As I drive past field after field in the flatlands of Florida, I’m tracking my adventure via audio recorder. I sure hope I’ve got this right, I’m saying to myself, checking the clock and worrying I might miss the assigned time for this meeting that’s taken three months to set up.

My reaction is to the fact that Nik Wallenda’s agent has told me the daredevil performer lives in Sarasota, a swell city by the bay known for its wonderful culture. Been there before and enjoyed it to the max. And yet, the address I’ve been given is not urban at all: it’s about as rural as you’ll get in the Sunshine State. But sure enough, the GPS system in my rental car leads me to a sprawling enclave way off the beaten path. I know immediately I’ve found my destination when I see the complex aerial training apparatus set up in the spacious lot behind the house: the practice ground for scary tightrope exploits the world has yet to see but which the Wallendas have built their reputation on forever.

Outstanding! I exclaim to myself.

Now, in many ways, I’m ready to push some of my own boundaries. This is interview #1 in what will grow to be a series of talks with intriguing people. Can I make this happen?

The spread before me is gated so I push the button on the wall.

Peter! comes an enthusiastic voice from the squawk box. Right on time! It’s Nik. Come in, my friend, I’ll meet you by the house.

And sure enough, as I drive up to the estate-style home, Nik Wallenda bounds out, ready to bid me a warm welcome.

C’mon in... I’ll show you around.

I’m struggling to be passive, yet thrilled on the inside, at my good fortune. Nik Wallenda is just the kind of guy I want to meet to learn about his ability to move the limits of life aside with ease. And here I am at the man’s home.

My tour of the enclave includes meeting Erendira, Nik’s charming wife, plus a couple of cousins, who are gathered in the kitchen, plotting an upcoming aerial gig. I’m also greeted by two dogs who clearly rule the roost. It’s a working home.

Through the research I’ve conducted before my arrival, I’ve realized that Nik Wallenda’s job is a real calling. He tells me it’s simply unavoidable. After all, he flirted with the idea of shirking the family line of work and becoming a doctor. But he just couldn’t get into it. All the while, the wire called...

Are you saying you can’t escape your job? I ask as we settle in Nik’s den for our discussion. Is that fair?

He pauses to think. This is a man who offers considered responses to questions, not just rote replies.

That’s a great question, Peter, he says. "Yeah... I guess there are many reasons why I can’t escape it. One: because I love it. You know, a challenge in our family is my mother.3 She still wants to perform. So, she came to see us practice the 8 Person Pyramid and it really was tough on her because she’s not up there. It’s been her dream to do it with us. And you can’t escape it because you love it so much."

But surely she’s at an age when most people retire and…

Yeah, but it would be like telling Tiger Woods, ‘You’re 60: you got to put down the golf clubs now.’ How do you do that!? How do you tell Michael Jordan not to play basketball anymore? C’mon!

Seems like a good time to remind Nik that he’s said for the record: I will be retiring by the time I’m 50. That’s 13 years from now as we talk. His reply to my query is slightly hesitant, suggesting the jury’s still out.

Yeah, well... it has to do more with physical conditioning, you know. I mean, can I hold on where my great-grandfather couldn’t? Is my body physically able to? He wasn’t able to recognize that because, as with all of us, we feel like we’re still as young as we once were. But there are risks that come with the physical part, as you lose your strength, etc., and it becomes more and more dangerous. So, for me, it wouldn’t be to retire altogether because I can’t sit still for more than 30 seconds. But it would be to pass on to the next generation through public speaking and inspiring people, which I do now... pass it on to the next age group by teaching them. Just like my parents have done with me.

All right, but we ought to admit right now that this is an art form that can kill you. And I need to unearth Nik’s reality with this. After all, the great-grandfather he refers to—Karl Wallenda—died at age 73 while walking between the towers of the Condado Plaza Hotel in Puerto Rico. When Nik was just four years old, he watched the film of his ancestor stumbling, falling to his death. I’ve seen it too. Frankly, I have to look away: I can’t watch. But Nik knows Karl died because of improper rigging. He’s bound and determined that this will never be his fate. Still...

I accept I’m walking on a cable the size of a nickel, he says. "It may be hundreds of feet above the street and, to me, it’s just what I do. But looking at it from other people’s perspective, it’s... this is not normal. I get that. But what’s not normal to some is normal to others. That’s very much the case in what I do: it is normal to walk the wire!"

Nik tells me he expresses himself through performing.

"Now, Peter, I’ll admit there are times when I’m on the wire and, I’ll be maybe 1,600 feet up over a canyon (he says this calmly, by the way, like that’s just what everybody does with their time!) and I’ll think, ‘What am I doing out here? What kind of job do I have?’ So, sure, I do think of it from time to time, but more in a ‘This is crazy what I do!’ sense. At the same time, I have to add that I find it strange that people don’t walk the wire. It’s what our family does. What we’ve always done. There are 16 of us doing it today. It’s normal."

But let me ask you this, Nik, I say. Surely you must think what you do for a living is pushing some boundaries, right?

That’s a hard question to answer, he responds. My family started back in the 1780s, as you know, so, to me, it’s more... it’s just life. When I heard my father quote my great-grandfather with that line—’Life is on the wire, everything else is just waiting’—the words resonated deep within my soul. I vowed to be a hero like Karl Wallenda.

As I strive to understand this persistence that drives Nik, I need to comprehend how he handles fear. What’s his secret?

His answer amazes me.

You know what? Fear isn’t a concept I even understand. Fear isn’t a feeling I’ve ever encountered.

Really? Crossing Niagara Falls and the Grand Canyon on a thin tightrope, dangling from a chopper high in the air by his teeth, there’s no fear in that?

Apparently not. Nik Wallenda is absolutely frank when he shares his thoughts with me on this sunny afternoon. Sitting casually in jeans and a T-shirt, looking studious yet fresh, and seemingly years younger than his age (37), he’s keen to engage on the subject of pushing boundaries.

My family started in this business a long time ago, he says, having recounted parts of the story in his book Balance: A Story of Faith, Family and Life on the Line, which I’ve read prior to our meeting. "We’re now at 7 generations. So, to me, this is more... just life, you know? To me, I’m alive when I’m on that wire! For us, it’s just life. What I do—what my family does—is more of an art form than anything."

Sure. OK. But let me remind you that with the people I’ve decided to profile in this book, I plan to place myself into their headspace as best I can. I attempt to pre-discern what makes them the way they are, and, hopefully, find some common ground for the discussion that ensues. But with Nik, try as I might, there’s not a hope in hell I’ll ever understand what’s going on in this guy’s cranium. Seriously. Walking on a tiny tightrope over Niagara Falls? Walking blindfolded on a tightrope between two Chicago skyscrapers? Executing the highest bicycle ride on a wire? All with no fear at all? I mean, who does this?

Nik Wallenda, that’s who. A man who knows no fear. A man who is, surprisingly—dare I say it—grounded.

There’s a scratching sound on the door. Nik gets up and lets in one of his faithful dogs who immediately bonds with me. (I’m already missing my two rescue pups back home, Molly and Macy, so this interruption is just fine.)

Let’s talk about risk, I say. You’re a man with a wife and three kids. Surely, you don’t want to put their future in jeopardy through risk.

Am I risking my life? he asks Yes. And I have to respect that. I’ll never get to the point where I don’t respect it because that’s when it will come back to get you.

Nik tells me his three kids all walk the wire. But he also reveals that none of them has a desire to carry on with this as a living. That’s partially because Nik and Erendira (herself part of a long-standing circus family who’s performed since childhood) decided after touring with Ringling Bros. that the kids should attend regular schools and lead a normal life.

I started performing at age 2, he explains. I was in front of audiences as a clown and doing bareback on my grandfather’s horses. So, I got that entertainment bug at a young age. But not my kids.

And then he reveals a salient point that underscores the lives of many performers, but one I hadn’t expected him to mention.

There’s ego at play here too, you know, Nik admits softly, almost embarrassed. A lot of this is based on ego: the attention you get. How do you give that up? Look at Tony Bennett: he’s in his nineties, but he just keeps singing because it’s what he loves to do. Me too.

He pauses, laughs, and offers, Not singing, you understand... you don’t want to hear me sing!

So how much of a part does ego play? I ask.

Well, there’s definitely a lot of self-image in our industry. But the more success I’ve attained, the less ego I have about it. Because I think ego is often driven by jealousy, envy. ‘I want to be as good as that person.’ And that’s the pride side of things, Peter. But that’s not what life’s about. Life’s about passing it on. There’s more pride in that. I’m more proud talking about my son going into the Marines than I am talking about me walking across Niagara Falls.

Nik pauses here. He’s thinking, wanting to find the right words to contain his opinion. You know, when you die, you’re still dead, he says. Who cares if you walked across Niagara Falls or the Grand Canyon? It doesn’t matter. But if you can make a lasting imprint in someone’s life, then you’ve done something!

Now, that’s a statement to remember.

My great-grandfather said it best, Nik tells me. "‘One day you eat the chicken, the next day you eat the feathers.’ We’re blessed to the point where we’re not concerned about making the rent next month. But when you step into this family industry, we’ve got giants we’re standing on the shoulders of. I don’t want my kids to have the pressure of the media saying, ‘Your Dad walked across the Grand Canyon. What are you going to do?’ So, for me, it’s almost a relief that my kids are not going to be involved. Still…"

Nik looks off. What is he wondering about?

I want to make it clear that this is nothing to do with the safety aspect, he explains. To me, that’s irrelevant. The world’s a crazy place: you just never know what’s around the next corner. The reality is, we all need to live everyday like it’s our last. That’s the benefit of being a risk taker: it’s easier to live as if every day is your last. I think I forgive a little quicker than others do. I love a little more. Because you don’t know... Face it, we are risking our lives every day, but we see it as a little more real than somebody just driving their car, even though they have more of a risk in front of them. Because what we do is calculated.

One of the things I want to sort out is how to describe the work Nik does. We settle on performance. He says he’ll accept stunt if you really want to push it, but he sees that moniker more describing an Evel Knievel-type act.

So, let me ask you this, I say. "Are you actually able to enjoy what you do, say, in the middle of the Grand Canyon?"

For sure! Nik replies with enthusiasm. "Depending on the weather conditions. I mean Niagara Falls... I will never forget just looking over the edge and then stepping out and walking over on the wire. I’ll never forget that look, what I saw."

Would you do it again?

You know, the only reason I would repeat it is because at the last minute, ABC-TV made me wear a tether. I felt they were taking part of my dream away. And that’s the only reason I’d ever consider doing it again: doing it the right way. NO tether!

He tells me the rationale for the network decision. Two weeks before, I was doing a stunt and did a fake fall to excite the audience. The network TV boys thought it was real. They freaked and said you have to wear a safety because they thought it was real. Which makes me a good entertainer, but...

It’s becoming clear to me that more than someone who walks the wire, Nik Wallenda is a politician, a scientist, an engineer, an artist… That’s yet another form of the persistence that drives him forward. You’ll find him telling his teammates how much tension he needs on the wire, where to set an anchor, etc.

Nik, I understand all the science and risk avoidance that go into these performances, I say. "But is it fair to say you’re really removing danger from what you do?"

He stops to think about this, then offers, "Peter, what I do is a calculated risk. So, the truth is... um... we are eliminating a lot of the possible dangers that are there. Rigging failure caused my great-grandfather to fall in the end. It was improperly rigged. So, we make sure we have layers of engineering: it’s not just one engineer. I mean, me and my father will design a rigging. Then, we’ll have my uncle—he’s a structural engineer and does all our stuff—he’ll draw it up. He’ll approve it. But then, we have two other layers of engineering. Generally, the site where I’m performing has their engineer and we’ll hire an outside firm as well. So, at the end of the day, we’re taking whatever risks we have and yes, we’re eliminating them."

Nik pauses, looks off for just a second, then adds in a lower voice, At least, as many as we can.

OK, but tell me more about these calculated risks.

Well, I figure out what the winds are going to be. Then, I train for those winds. The Grand Canyon has 52 miles per hour gusts on average. But I trained for 65... actually trained in 90 miles per hour wind. I’ve walked in 120. But I think we’ve eliminated as much risk as we can. That doesn’t mean—sure, it’s Mother Nature, so it doesn’t mean a 130-mph wind isn’t gonna come in and hit you! Clearly, there’s tons of risk still out there.

How about that ‘danger’ thing? I’m trying this on again.

This query creates a long pause. Nik is considering the balance. But he recognizes my own persistence in the question.

"Yeah... I mean... OK, it’s not as though I get on that wire... when we go up and do the 8 Person Pyramid, we’re all doing it confidently, comfortably. There’s no question... we’ve done it a hundred times in the last three weeks of training. But then, when we move that wire up to the next level, I promise you 6 of the 8 people will be shaking. And when they shake, I feel it. There will be times I’m in a show and I’ll go, ‘Am I shaking or are they shaking?’ Sometimes, you don’t even know."

Wow. I can’t imagine being in that