Welcome to another episode of the It Matters To Me Podcast. My name’s Adam Casey and have you ever wondered what it would take to summit Mt. Everest without oxygen or row across the Atlantic ocean or even ski down an Iraqi mountainside while not letting a global war on terror stop you?
Well, my guest today has done those things, among so much more, and his name’s Laval St. Germain.
Growing up in Canada, Laval talks about how the books he read as a child instilled in him this deep longing to go out and see the world for himself. And how that insatiable appetite for adventure initially pushed him to get into the cockpit as a Canadian bush pilot as a teenager that eventually evolved into his current job today as a 737 commercial airline pilot.
From his first adventure scuba diving in some self-described “sketchy” towns to summiting the highest peak on all 7 of the earth's 7 continents as well as the highest peaks of more than 18 nations, Laval and I talk about the importance of continually being outside our comfort zones in a technology-driven modern world determined to make our lives as easy as possible.
Laval also opens up about the tragic loss of his son, Richard, in a canoeing accident 7 years ago, and how that event still affects him and his family to this day but how he’s turned those emotions into a catalyst for action.
I could easily sit here and just continue to name a seemingly never-ending list of all the things Laval has done that have rightfully earned him an international reputation as the unequivocal modern-day explorer. And one of the many things I enjoyed about talking with Laval is his sincere humility and belief that we all have it in ourselves to create our own life-changing adventures.
And while Laval has found success as a motivational speaker, this isn’t a conversation about all you need to do is “believe in yourself” or “just say yes” or anything like that. It’s a heartfelt acknowledgment that these things are in fact tough but because of it, they are all that more memorable.
I can’t thank him enough for coming on the show and being such an amazing guest so please enjoy my interview with Laval St. Germain
Additional Links
Laval St. Germain Website:
https://www.lavalstgermain.com/motivational-speaker-adventurer.html
Laval St. Germain on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/lavalstgermain/?hl=en
Outside Magazine Feature:
https://www.outsideonline.com/2401108/laval-st-germain-everest-arctic
It Matters To Me Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/adamcasey/
It Matters To Me Website:
https://itmatterstomepodcast.com/