I was born to the name Toufic, an ancient name that some say means luck and others suggest a single-minded drive for success. My life has been nothing short of a miraculous fusion of both. My labor of love has become helping people succeed at facing and embracing discomfort, disarming self-pity and fear, and finding their true grit.
Please join me on a journey of discovery that travels the landscapes of our outer world; from the world’s deepest cave to one of Nepal’s most nefarious mountains, to a desert in Oman; to uncovering the lessons and blessings of life-threatening accidents, subterranean and high-altitude despair, and the highs of marathon running.
Let’s begin:
Dhoor El Shweir, Lebanon, 2002: I nearly lost my life at the age of 15 in a horrific traffic accident. Doctors told me that I would suffer the physical and mental consequences of the trauma for the rest of my life. They told me to get used to a new reality without most of one leg’s function — and an end to my dream of being an explorer.
Khasab, Oman, 2015: A deadly poisonous snake bite left me fighting for my life in an intensive care unit. My body and mind flickered between vivid nightmares of losing a limb and the imminent possibility of dying.
Krubera Voronya, Abkhazia, Georgia, 2016: On a 30-day expedition into the world’s deepest cave I was confronted with a fear unlike any I had ever experienced: it crushed my ego, stripped me of hope, and left me facing absolute vulnerability.
Khumbu, Nepal, Himalayas, 2018: I faced the devastating loss of my partner, Mike, while leading an expedition on one of the world’s most notorious mountains, the infamous Ama Dablam — deceptively monikered the Mother’s Necklace. I was fortunate to survive the expedition but was left with crushing grief and shattered faith.
Here and Now: I feel blessed — not because I survived those setbacks and challenges — because I discovered ways to turn devastating loss, sorrow and despair into hope; and hopelessness into grit and renewed purpose. And because I am privileged to be alive to share those lessons with you.
I invite you to let me share my stories with you and to work with me to master mental toughness, and dissolve the deceptive illusion of comfort to find your own brand of inspiration, hope and passion.
- Why nearly losing my leg taught me mental toughness through voluntary discomfort?
- Why my expedition to the world's deepest cave left me facing my worst fears?
- Why the grit toolkit was the key to survival in the face of death?
