The Impossible First
Written by Colin O'Brady
Narrated by Colin O'Brady
4.5/5
()
About this audiobook
Prior to December 2018, no individual had ever crossed the landmass of Antarctica alone, without support and completely human powered. Yet, Colin O’Brady was determined to do just that, even if, ten years earlier, there was doubt that he’d ever walk again normally. From the depths of a tragic accident, he fought his way back. In a quest to unlock his potential and discover what was possible, he went on to set three mountaineering world records before turning to this historic Antarctic challenge.
O’Brady’s pursuit of a goal that had eluded many others was made even more intense by a head-to-head battle that emerged with British polar explorer Captain Louis Rudd—also striving to be “the first.” Enduring Antarctica’s sub-zero temperatures and pulling a sled that initially weighed 375 pounds—in complete isolation and through a succession of whiteouts, storms, and a series of near disasters—O’Brady persevered.
Alone with his thoughts for nearly two months in the vastness of the frozen continent—gripped by fear and doubt—he reflected on his past, seeking courage and inspiration in the relationships and experiences that had shaped his life.
“Incredibly engaging and well-written” (The Wall Street Journal)—and set against the backdrop of some of the most extreme environments on earth, from Mt. Everest to Antarctica—this is “an unforgettable memoir of perseverance, survival, daring to dream big, and showing the world how to make the impossible possible” (Booklist, starred review).
Colin O'Brady
Colin O’Brady is a ten-time world record breaking explorer, New York Times bestselling author of The Impossible First, speaker, entrepreneur, and expert on mindset. His mission: sharing his hard-earned wisdom to empower others to conquer their minds and unlock their best lives. Colin’s highly publicized expeditions have been followed by millions and his work has been featured in the The New York Times and Forbes and on The Tonight Show, the BBC, The Joe Rogan Experience, and NBC’s Today. His feats include the world’s first solo, unsupported, and fully human-powered crossing of Antarctica, speed records for the Explorers Grand Slam and the Seven Summits, and the first human-powered ocean row across Drake Passage. He regularly speaks on mindset and high performance at Fortune 100 companies such as Nike, Google, and Amazon and at top universities including Harvard, Yale, and UPenn. His TEDx talk has nearly 3 million views. He’s also the cofounder of 29029 Everesting. Native to the Pacific Northwest, he now lives in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, with his wife, Jenna Besaw, and their dog, Jack. Engage with Colin and his work @ColinOBrady or at ColinOBrady.com. Visit 12HourWalk.com and Instagram @12HourWalk, and download the 12HourWalk app to join the movement!
Related to The Impossible First
Related audiobooks
Epic: Stories of Survival From The World's Highest Peaks Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5To the Last Breath: A Memoir of Going to Extremes Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ledge: An Adventure Story of Friendship and Survival on Mount Rainier Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Adrift: 76 Days Lost at Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Great Alone: Walking the Pacific Crest Trail Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Art of Resilience: Strategies for an Unbreakable Mind and Body Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Endurance Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Out of the Silence: After the Crash Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ascent Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Free Outside: A Trek Against Time and Distance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Higher Love: Climbing and Skiing the Seven Summits Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Last of His Kind: The Life and Adventures of Bradford Washburn, America's Boldest Mountaineer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Crazy for the Storm Rating: 3 out of 5 stars3/5AWOL on the Appalachian Trail Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Bliss(ters): How I walked from Mexico to Canada One Summer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Man's Climb: A Journey of Trauma, Tragedy and Triumph on K2 Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Mountain of My Fear and Deborah: Two Mountaineering Classics Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Above the Clouds: How I Carved My Own Path to the Top of the World Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Surviving the Extremes: A Doctor's Journey to the Limits of Human Endurance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5South Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5One Life One Chance: A story of adrenalin and adventure in the most unforgiving places on earth. Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thirst: 2600 Miles to Home Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5South: The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition, 1914-1917 Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5To the Greatest Heights: Facing Danger, Finding Humility, and Climbing a Mountain of Truth Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Seven Steps from Snowdon to Everest: A hill walker's journey to the top of the world Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5A Wild Idea Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Edge of the Map: The Mountain Life of Christine Boskoff Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Divided: A Walk on the Continental Divide Trail Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Lost Explorer: Finding Mallory on Mount Everest Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Adventurers & Explorers For You
BMF: The Rise and Fall of Big Meech and the Black Mafia Family Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5On Call in the Arctic: A Doctor's Pursuit of Life, Love, and Miracles in the Alaskan Frontier Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Off Grid and Free: My Path to the Wilderness Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5In Search of Perfumes: A Lifetime Journey to the Source of Nature’s Scents Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Elon Musk: A Biography of Business, Success and Entrepreneurship Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Art of Resilience: Strategies for an Unbreakable Mind and Body Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5When You Find My Body: The Disappearance of Geraldine Largay on the Appalachian Trail Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Indifferent Stars Above: The Harrowing Saga of the Donner Party Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Reaching beyond Boundaries: A Navy SEAL's Guide to Achieving Everything You've Ever Imagined Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5World Travel: An Irreverent Guide Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Writing of the Gods: The Race to Decode the Rosetta Stone Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Stowaway: A Young Man's Extraordinary Adventure to Antarctica Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5438 Days: An Extraordinary True Story of Survival at Sea Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Venom Doc: The Edgiest, Darkest, Strangest Natural History Memoir Ever Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5My Infamous Life: The Autobiography of Mobb Deep's Prodigy Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Free Outside: A Trek Against Time and Distance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Alive: The Story of the Andes Survivors Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5One Man's Wilderness: An Alaskan Odyssey Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Becoming The Iceman: Pushing Past Perceived Limits Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Exotic Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Uncertain Sea: Fear is everywhere. Embrace it. Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Manchild in The Promised Land Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5The Last of His Kind: The Life and Adventures of Bradford Washburn, America's Boldest Mountaineer Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Ship Beneath the Ice: The Discovery of Shackleton’s Endurance Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5The Curse of Oak Island: The Story of the World's Longest Treasure Hunt Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Ready to Come About Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Savage Kingdom: The True Story of Jamestown, 1607, and the Settlement of America Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5
Related categories
Reviews for The Impossible First
90 ratings6 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Colin writes beautifully. You feel like you’re in Antarctica with him! The first chapter was amazing, you can feel the wind and the snow and the fear when he loses his grip on the tent. I actually had to stop the recording...it was like being there!
In a crazy world, Colin brings positivity and hope of conquering your fears and meeting impossible goals. In a world where there are few heroes to look up to, Colin sets an example that children and adults can look up to—a real American hero that many followed throughout his journey. He notes he felt the “infinite love” of those cheering him on from home. And I myself got caught up in the wonder of it all just reading his amazing daily inspirational posts while he trekked across Antarctica. This book is a must read (or must listen—as the author reads) for anyone seeking proof that there are still heroes! By mentoring and sharing his story he makes us all better people, and he tells his story with such clarity you’ll feel as if you walked along with him. An amazing man with an amazing story. Thank you Colin for sharing your journey!!1 person found this helpful
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Awasome journey, really inspiring and full of adventures ?? ??
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5What an awesome story of endurance, perseverance, powerful mindset, belief on oneself capabilities
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Incredible journey with detailed personal stories woven throughout to humanize the story. Well done, highly recommend!
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I feel this true adventure story was worth my time. O’Brady weaves in his life story including other challenges as he pulls a big heavy sled across the Antarctic trying to be the first person to transverse this area alone and with no assistance. Remarkable another person is trying for the same record. O’Brady is an endurance athlete - his writing skills and speaking skills are good enough, I listened to the audio book he self-narrated as well as following the e-book. He is a little flowery at times. This guy is a doer. He takes us on his quest and into his head. Neither place was a likely to go by myself.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Thank you for Drew Binsky podcast,which recommended me this book.
Quite a phenomenal audiobook and it definitely felt that it was adventure to mindfulness.