Going All In — Reverse-Engineer the Goals You Will Risk Everything For

What does it take to bet everything on a dream? To live out of a van before it was fashionable, to commit to hard lines with no guarantee of success, and to walk away from risk when the stakes are too high?

For Canadian climber Sonnie Trotter, it has always come down to conviction. From iconic ascents like Cobra Crack and The Path to bold multi-pitch routes on El Capitan, Sonnie has built a career — and a life — around the power of desire and the art of going all in.

In this episode, Sonnie opens up about:

• The moment on Mount Stephen with Tommy Caldwell when he chose family over risk — and why that decision shaped his climbing life.
• What it means to reverse-engineer objectives, breaking down the impossible into repeatable steps that anyone can apply to sport, career, or life.
• The reality of van life with young kids — the chaos, the beauty, and the lessons in resilience.
• Why desire matters more than talent in chasing audacious goals.
• How sleep, recovery, and health now stand as his most important climbing priorities.

This is not just a climbing story. It’s a conversation about awe, identity, and how to keep your fire alive — whether you’re chasing 5.14 cracks or simply trying to stay true to your path in midlife.

Stay to the end: Sonnie shares his philosophy on legacy, why life is shorter than we think (in the most liberating sense), and how to pursue what matters with urgency and love.

Sonnie's Instagram

Sonnie's book - Uplifted! 

---

🚀 Love the show? Here’s how to support it

If something you’ve heard here has stayed with you, made you smile, or helped you keep going, I’d be honored if you’d consider supporting the show. 👉 https://buymeacoffee.com/agelessathlete

📰 Subscribe to the Ageless Athlete newsletter ! 

1-2x a month, no spam. We share behind-the-scenes reflections, longevity tips, and athlete wisdom you won’t find anywhere else. You can sign up at https://www.agelessathlete.co/newsletter/ 📩

Support the show