By Fredrik Sträng
You leave a movie theater or lecture full of energy. Your pulse is high and ideas are flying: Now I’m going to change my life! But a few hours later you’re sitting at home on the couch wondering where the inspiration went. Why do so many powerful moments turn into… nothing? And what does it really take to turn inspiration into real adventures?
Book your tickets to Girl Climber here >>>
You’ve been there.
You’re sitting in a movie theater or a lecture hall. The lights come on. People begin to rise from their seats. And you can feel the energy almost boiling inside your body.
Your thoughts start racing:
Now I’m going to start training again.
Now I’m going to do that expedition.
Now I’m going to stop procrastinating.
Now I’m going to change my life.
It’s an incredible feeling.
But it’s also dangerous.
Because inspiration is a bit like a sparkler.
It crackles. It shines. It feels almost magical. But after a few seconds, it’s over. It’s cold. And all that remains is a thin piece of wire.
I’ve seen this thousands of times. After a lecture, people come up to me and say:
“Fredrik, now I’m going to do something big too!”
And I believe them. In that moment, they truly mean it.
The problem is simply that inspiration rarely survives everyday life.
When you get home, open your email, do the laundry, drive the kids to practice, pay the bills — the sparkler cools down quickly.
So what do we actually do with all that inspiration?
It’s a question I’ve wrestled with many times myself.
Inspiration Starts Things. Discipline Finishes Them.
When I decided to climb all 377 Norwegian peaks above 2,000 meters, many people assumed the motivation must have been enormous.
And yes, in the beginning it was.
It’s always easy to feel inspired when you’re standing at the starting line.
But after a few weeks, something happens.
Your body starts aching.
The weather gets worse.
And the map still shows hundreds of peaks remaining.
On day 46, for example, I stood in front of a massive crevasse blocking my route toward Leirhøe. It felt like a complete dead end. One of those moments where you start thinking: maybe this isn’t going to work after all.
But in that moment, inspiration doesn’t matter.
The only thing that matters is discipline.
To continue.
To take the next step.
To accept that great goals are not won in moments of euphoria — they are won in everyday persistence.
During the project I climbed peaks like Skagsnebb, Hurrbreatinden and Loftet in Jotunheimen.
Reading that afterward might sound romantic.
But the reality was usually very simple:
Wake up.
Eat.
Pack.
Climb up.
Climb down.
Sleep.
Repeat.
Day after day after day.
When It Rains, Half the People Have Already Quit
One thing I notice clearly when I train outdoors is how quickly people surrender to a little resistance.
If it rains?
Many stay home.
If it’s windy?
People wait for better weather.
But there’s an old truth in the mountains:
When it rains, half the people have already quit.
That’s when you gain your advantage.
Not when everything is perfect.
Not when motivation is high.
But when it’s a little uncomfortable, a little cold, a little difficult — and you do it anyway.
That’s where discipline is built.
And discipline is really just one thing:
The ability to do what needs to be done, even when you don’t feel like it.
Inspiration Needs Direction
Don’t get me wrong.
Inspiration is fantastic.
It can be the starting signal for something great.
But without direction, inspiration is just energy that disappears.
Like launching a rocket without knowing where it’s supposed to go.
So what should you do?
I usually think about three simple principles.
1. Do Something Within 24 Hours
If you feel inspired — act immediately.
Book the training session.
Plan the trip.
Set the date.
If you wait too long, the energy fades.
2. Break the Goal Down
Everest is 8,848 meters high.
That’s an absurd number.
But if you think of it as roughly twelve Eiffel Towers stacked on top of each other, it suddenly becomes more manageable.
The same applies to life.
Big goals must be broken down.
3. Accept That Motivation Comes and Goes
Motivation is weather.
Discipline is climate.
Weather changes every day. Climate endures.
Why I Love Adventure Films
A truly great adventure film can be exactly the spark people need.
It can make people get up from the couch.
To start climbing.
To hike more.
To travel.
To dare to try something new.
One such film is Girl Climber, which premieres in cinemas across Sweden on March 13.
The film follows professional climber Emily Harrington in her attempt to climb Yosemite’s iconic El Capitan in 24 hours.
She has already climbed Everest and several 8,000-meter peaks and dominated the competition climbing scene.
But this challenge is something different.
It’s about breaking a barrier.
Showing that she isn’t just one of the best female climbers in the world — she’s one of the best climbers. Period.
After a near-fatal fall, she is forced to confront a question that every adventurer eventually faces:
How much am I truly willing to risk for my dream?
The film is equal parts nerve-wracking survival story and intimate portrait.
And I believe many people will leave the theater with the same feeling:
A massive dose of inspiration.
But What Do You Do Next?
That’s the real question.
When the lights come on.
When the credits roll.
When everyday life is waiting.
That’s where everything is decided.
Because adventures don’t begin on the summit of a mountain.
They begin in small decisions.
Going outside even when it’s raining.
Training when you’re tired.
Continuing when motivation is low.
It isn’t spectacular.
But it’s how dreams are built.
So the next time you leave an inspiring film or lecture, ask yourself:
What is my first step?
Not next year.
Not next month.
Tomorrow.
Because inspiration is only the spark.
What you do afterward determines whether it becomes a fire — or just another sparkler.
Book your tickets here >>>
🔥 Girl Climber premieres in cinemas across Sweden on Friday, March 13.
If you enjoyed Free Solo, this is a film you don’t want to miss.
But most importantly:
Don’t let inspiration die in the movie theater.
Use it.
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About Fredrik Sträng:
Fredrik, in his leadership role, has summited seven of the world’s fourteen 8,000-meter peaks, set a Guinness World Record, and lectures on leadership, communication, decision-making, and crisis management.
Kind regards,
Fredrik Sträng
Climber – Speaker – Coach
