University of Minnesota - UMN Executive Leadership Insights
The 12-Hour Walk
Book

The 12-Hour Walk

Invest One Day, Conquer Your Mind, and Unlock Your Best Life

Colin O’Brady
Scribner, 2022
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Editorial Rating

8

Qualities

  • Applicable
  • Concrete Examples
  • Inspiring

Recommendation

Explorer Colin O’Brady climbed the highest peaks on every continent and crossed Antarctica on foot. He accomplished these feats in the face of incredible odds, including coming back from a devastating accident that left him with burns so severe doctors warned that he might never walk again without great difficulty. O’Brady wants to inspire you to replace self-limiting beliefs with a growth-oriented “Possible Mind-Set.” If you shift your perspective, he says, you can achieve your biggest dreams. He invites you to trigger this inner transformation in less than a day by taking a “12-Hour Walk” – a thoughtful if challenging way to embrace positivity and connect with your authentic self.

Summary

Achieve your biggest dreams by developing a “Possible Mind-Set.”

Record-breaking explorer Colin O’Brady was on a beach in Thailand when he made an impulsive decision that changed his life. He saw a flaming jump rope and tried to leap over it. The attempt left him with third-degree burns. When doctors told O’Brady he’d never walk normally again, he vowed to prove them wrong. 

In the years after his accident, O’Brady defied expectations, scaling the tallest mountain on each continent and setting speed records for the Explorer’s Grand Slam and the Seven Summits. He became the first person to cross Antarctica on foot, pulling a 375-pound sled behind him. 

O’Brady cultivated what he calls a “Possible Mind-Set,” which he explains as a mode of thought and self-appraisal that enables him to connect to his full potential. 

To develop a possible mind-set, ask yourself, “What’s my Everest?” Think about something you have wanted to achieve since you were a child, an authentic dream that offers fulfillment if you pursue it. Give yourself permission to imagine your ...

About the Author

Colin O’Brady is the New York Times best-selling author of The Impossible First. His TEDx talk Change Your Mind-Set, Achieve Anything has been viewed by more than 2.9 million people. For more information on planning your long walk, see 12hourwalk.com.

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