I saw an ELI5 question earlier about why some people seem to genuinely thrive in high-risk outdoor environments, like mountaineering or extreme kayaking, while others would be wholly overwhelmed. It’s more complex than just “adrenaline junkies,” I think. Some of it has to be a learned skill – the ability to assess risk rationally even when under immense pressure.Maybe it’s like how some people can handle high-stress jobs in finance or medicine; they’ve trained themselves to stay calm and focused.
But I also suspect there’s a genetic component, or at least early childhood experiences that shape their response to fear. Maybe some people are naturally less reactive to stressful situations, or perhaps they were exposed to calculated risks early on and learned to associate that feeling with competence and reward.It’s fascinating to think about what combination of nature and nurture allows someone to find their peak performance and satisfaction in situations that would paralyze most of us.What do you all think contributes to this?