The Profile Dossier: Nims Purja, the Mountaineer Who Summited the World's 14 'Death Zone' Peaks
"Most of us are forgetting that from the beginning of our life, we are approaching death."
There are 14 'death zone' peaks in the entire world that are higher than 8,000 meters. The fastest anyone had summited all 14 had been eight years.
And then came Nims Purja.
A relatively unknown mountaineer from Nepal, he declared he would take on the formidable task and climb all 14 in a matter of seven months. Because a feat like this was considered impossible, he defiantly called his quest, "Project Possible."
“Nobody thought it could be done, but I always believed it was possible,” Purja says. “I had to go through so many unplanned problems, but I always kept believing that I would break the record.”
The peaks he climbed included Mount Everest, Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, Makalu, and K2. For the final peak, Shishapangma, he had to get special permission from China because it had been closed to the public due to "unsafe conditions" since 2014.
Purja shattered his goal and summited all 14 peaks in six months and six days, immediately earning the respect of the climbing community. But his journey was neither smooth nor easy.
His first hurdle was securing enough money for permits, gear, filming, transportation, and supplies for his entire expedition. To get 'Project Possible' off the ground, Purja took a second mortgage against his house. “More than the climbing, the money was always the biggest challenge," he says. "I was raising funds, climbing, doing the logistics, leading the whole expedition, PR and management of my social accounts and the film direction; all at the same time."
Purja says his experience as a 'Gurkha,' a Nepalese soldier recruited into the British Army, is what helped prepare his body and mind for the brutal nature of the mountains. He was the first person from Nepal to be accepted into the Special Boat Service, a special forces team that is the British equivalent of the American Seal Team 6.
“The selection process for the special forces takes six months and if you want to join the SBS, there’s another 12 weeks of training,” Purja says. “After you go through this, it can make you feel invincible, like you can do anything. The mountain puts things into perspective.”
While in the mountains, there were many challenges — dangerous weather conditions, logistical nightmares, a traffic jam on Everest, and fellow climbers who needed rescuing. Through it all, he leaned on his experience as a soldier, his love for climbing, and his unshakeable self-belief that he wanted to accomplish this for himself, his family, and his community.
"I hope it will be an eye-opener for many people, not only for people in Nepal but for young kids and people around the world," he says.
Purja says life is absurd, but if you fill it with ideas, enthusiasm, and joy, nothing is impossible. Remember, he says, "sometimes, the idea that you come up with may seem impossible to the rest of the world. But that doesn’t mean it’s impossible for you."
Here's what we can learn from one of the most resilient, optimistic, and unshakeable mountaineers of our time.
READ.
On making 'Project Possible' possible: Aside from the actual climbing, Purja says his biggest challenge was raising the money to make it a reality. To get it off the ground, he took a second mortgage against his house. In this profile, we learn how he crushed the impossible — and his story still went untold.
On becoming a champion of the Sherpa guides: Purja has emerged as a powerful champion of the country’s Sherpa guides. He’s also become the first celebrity mountaineer of the social media age—and the most controversial figure in the global climbing community. His next act? Launch a company to upend the old paradigms of the Himalayan guiding industry. (GQ; reply to this email if you can’t access the article)
On taking calculated risks: When Purja began telling people about his goal, they scoffed at it. It wasn't until he embarked upon it that they began taking him seriously. In this Q&A, Purja explains the origin story of his idea, his fundraising challenges, and what the physical preparation entailed.
On his life journey: In his memoir, Beyond Possible, Purja tells the story of his life before his recent epic achievement of leading the team that scaled K2 in winter. He reveals how leadership, a willingness to learn, integrity and collaboration are essential qualities behind the world’s greatest mountaineering feats.
LISTEN.
On how purpose can overcome fatigue: When he was training for the SBS, Purja would wake up at 1 a.m, carry 80 pounds on his back, and run 40 kilometers every morning. At night, he would go to the gym and cycle 65 miles. "I never said, 'I'm tired' or 'It's raining today,'" he says. "It was never for money. It was for the love, and if you love something, you gotta commit to it."
On life in the death zone: Surviving in the death zone requires you to get out of your comfort zone first. In this conversation, Purja discusses the sheer grit it takes to conquest all the world's 8,000-meter "death zone" peaks in several months.
On building mental grit: When he's running out of oxygen and vacillating between life or death, Purja reminds himself of one very important personal truth: "I believe there is always a way out," he says. In his time with the Special Forces, he learned how to use his mind to calmly deal with stressful situations.
WATCH.
On summiting all 14 peaks: This Netflix documentary features never-before seen footage of Purja's ambitious expedition. It makes one thing clear: When you embark on an expedition to summit a peak, giving up is not an option. Failure is oftentimes lethal. "When you are in the mountains, if you give up, you die," he says. This is a must-watch.
On the importance of discipline: Purja says discipline is not enough to conquer such a physical and mental feat. You need to be self-disciplined, which means keeping the promises you make to yourself during the training process. "Motivation isn't good enough," he says. "If there's someone else motivating you, that's fake. You need to bring that energy from your chest by yourself."
POLINA'S TAKEAWAYS.
Consider your goal's incentives: If you're doing something for the money, the status, or the fame, it's unlikely you'll be successful and happy. Purja says, "You have to ask yourself, 'Do you really want this from your heart?’ Is it for the glory? Or is it for something bigger?'"
Be prepared for the extremes: If there's one lesson Purja has learned from his expeditions, it's this: "Nothing goes as planned in the mountains." On one expedition, he approached a climber who was running out of oxygen at 8,450 meters. He gave him some of his own oxygen and began helping him down the mountain. "Conducting a rescue from 8,450 meters without oxygen when you are not acclimatized is a suicidal mission, but we knew what our bodies were capable of," he says. So how can you be prepared for the things that are impossible to prepare for? Understand your physical and mental capabilities and do what aligns with your values. "I want to be able to sleep peacefully at night, and I wouldn't be able to do that if I had left a fellow climber behind when I had to ability to conduct the rescue," Purja says.
Make it a point to make people feel seen: When climbers summit peaks like Everest, they do so thanks to the help of the Sherpas. Purja gave credit to the Sherpas in his film, he posted photos and videos with them on his Instagram, and he made sure they got paid well for being on his team. As you go through your days, make sure you're properly recognizing the people who rarely get the credit they deserve. "What I have heard is that, 'My Sherpa helped me,’ and that's it," Purja says. "That is wrong because he has a name. What they should be saying is 'Mingma David helped me.'" Using someone's name is the greatest compliment you can give them.
QUOTES TO REMEMBER.
"Most of us are forgetting that from the beginning of our life, we are approaching death."
“Everything in life is possible armed only with determined approach and positive mindset.”
“Giving up is not in the blood!”
"It doesn't matter where you come from, you can show the world nothing is impossible."
“Never limit yourself; never let anyone tell you that you can’t do something. Always follow your heart."
"You only got one life. Live it."