Before Sharon Wood made history, Mount Everest saw legendary attempts to climb by George Mallory and Andrew Irvine, and the successful ascent in 1953 by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, who reached the summit together with the support of Sherpa guides. Their Everest expedition inspired climbers worldwide, including Sharon, who later became the first North American woman to stand on top of the world.

Sharon Wood is a professional mountain guide, author, and the first North American woman to climb Mount Everest, which she ascended in 1986 from the rarely-used West Ridge approach through Tibet. She’s inspiring and filled with wisdom about staying active and being Bold no matter your age, and Team Bold was excited to speak with her.

Can you tell us about your background with climbing?

Sharon: When I was younger, I worked as a professional mountain guide. I was very good at climbing big mountains. I was lucky enough to reach the top of Everest in 1986 and became the first North American woman to climb Everest, which I also did by a new route.

After Everest, I fell into an accidental career as a motivational speaker. I don’t really like that word — motivational speaker — so I like to call myself a storyteller, where I have an emphasis on ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

I have always been quite adventurous, and as I get older, I find that less is more. Now I’m finding adventures in everything I do in life. But one of the most exciting things I’ve been doing lately is leading trips for people over 55 years old who have never rock climbed, where I teach them how to climb.

How do you help people get started climbing?

To get people excited about taking on something new, you have to get them to feel as comfortable as possible. The biggest anxiety for people trying something new is that they feel they can’t learn something new — they feel they can’t start something like they used to. But this is all perception. It’s amazing how our perceptions get in the way of us showing up.

So first, I congratulate people on just showing up. It’s a huge win to just show up. It says You’re ready to begin. Then, your intention for what you’re doing has to come through loud and clear. What I’m excited about is helping people close the gap between what they think they can do and what they actually can do, and it’s so exciting to watch them work through that divide.

As we age, we don’t expect to change a lot, and I love to see people’s faces when they surprise themselves.

How do you help combat negative self-talk and our perception of not being able to do something?

I have a lot of empathy for people who struggle with confidence when learning something new, so I help people conquer that by understanding that they just need to take a baby step. Honor yourself and your own capacities. And be kind to yourself as you’re learning.

What’s a tip you have for getting motivated and taking that first step?

Ask yourself what the worst thing that could happen if you try something, and compare that to how you are going to benefit. Remember: you can continue to progress and live the life you want. And tactically, get someone else to join you! I might get my husband to join me, or get a friend on board.

What’s one tip you can share on living Boldly?

Continue to do new things and try new things. Keep believing that your capacity can expand rather than contract. As we get older, we can shrink back from life, but we need to keep letting life in.

Sharon Wood’s story inspires us to celebrate all the wins, big and small. Decades after her expedition, her achievement shows what’s possible through courage and determination. 

Showing up is an important first step. Whether you’re years into your fitness journey or just beginning, Bold is here to support you and celebrate your wins along the way. With Bold, you can set the activity goals that work for you and see progress as you age. Let Sharon’s example inspire you to attempt to climb and reach your own summits. Sign up for Bold to stay active no matter your age.