The mind counts

I have been exploring for as long as I can remember.
Long before it became a profession, exploration was simply my way of being in the world. As a child, all I needed was the forest behind my house—literally—a water bottle over my shoulder, and a trail map. I didn’t know why yet, but that sense of freedom and discovery made me feel alive. Every step in the woods was a small journey—not only through space, but already a journey within myself.

Today, after twenty years of expeditions across oceans, deserts, and ice, I know that this curiosity was not simply the desire to go far, but the need to know myself more deeply. Because every exploration is, ultimately, a dialogue between the outer world and the inner one—between what we seek out there and what, without realizing it, we are seeking within.

This intimate dimension of adventure belongs to all of us. Every time we face cold, fatigue, solitude, or the fear of an important test, we discover that the real challenge is never against the environment, but against ourselves. And that is where everything is decided.

I learned firsthand that the mind is the first thing to falter—and at the same time, the only thing that can sustain you when the body can no longer continue.

It was 2011. I was running across the United States—from Los Angeles to New York—more than 5,000 kilometers, nearly two marathons a day, under the sun, in the rain, against the wind, and through the dust. And every day, I realized that the body alone would not be enough. The difference was made by the mind: the ability to remain clear in fatigue, to move through pain without fleeing from it, and to preserve that minimal spark of confidence needed to whisper, even quietly to yourself: “I can do this.”

The Other Half of Training

In the book Foundations of Sport and Exercise Psychology, mental training is defined as “the systematic and consistent practice of mental or psychological skills for the purpose of improving performance, increasing enjoyment, and achieving greater personal satisfaction in sport or physical activity.” Many people believe it is reserved for professional athletes or precision sports, but that is not the case. In reality, its foundational techniques—including positive self-talk, visualisation, and the management of anxiety through conscious breathing—are valuable tools for anyone who wants to improve their focus, calmness, and self-confidence.

As performance psychologist Michael Gervais says, “As human beings, we can only train three things: our technique, our body, and our mind. Yet we spend ridiculous amounts of time training only the first two.” And he is right. Many of us carefully develop every detail of our physical or professional training, yet few dedicate time to training the mind—even though it is the mind that ultimately makes the difference in the most difficult moments.

In the end, the mind is a muscle

Training the mind is a practical act of awareness and presence. It means learning to recognise your emotions, manage pressure, and transform fear into energy. In a world that is changing rapidly and constantly putting us to the test, knowing your own mind is perhaps the most authentic form of exploration. And like any journey, it requires tools, method, and curiosity. Because, in the end, there is no exploration more fascinating than the one that leads you to discover who you truly are—when everything else falls away.

If you feel that the time has come to begin this journey but don’t know where to start, I’ve created a video course designed to guide you through the first steps of mental training.

Click here.