Mountains, Mindsets & Mastery: How Small Steps Create an extra-Ordinary Life with Cathy O’Dowd

In this episode of The extra-Ordinary Leader, I had the privilege of speaking with Cathy O’Dowd, mountaineer, author, and the first woman to summit Everest from both the north and south sides.

Cathy’s story is extraordinary, but what struck me most was how she brings it all back to the ordinary. No fairy dust, no magical talent – just consistent, courageous, small steps. Her approach to leadership and life is grounded, powerful and accessible.

We explored:

• What extra-Ordinary leadership really means

• Letting go of perfectionism and saying yes to uncomfortable opportunities

• How physical activity helps break patterns of overthinking and impostor syndrome

• Cathy’s experience navigating tokenism and team conflict on Everest

• Why empathy is a tool, not a trait

• The importance of stepping into something new and being a beginner again

Cathy also shared the STOP method (Stop, Think, Options, Perform), a brilliant decision-making framework she uses in both mountaineering and leadership.

If you feel stuck, flatlined, or just searching for your next step, this episode will speak to you.

For more on Cathy:

• Website: https://www.cathyodowd.com

• Book: Just for the Love of It - https://cathyodowd.com/book/

• Keynote Enquiries: https://www.cathyodowd.com/keynote-speaking

If you’d like to talk about working together or start your own mindset shift, please do get in touch. I’d love to hear from you.