#213 Stephan Kesting: Surviving the Wild – Perseverance, Problem-Solving & Mental Strength

Today’s guest is Stephan Kesting, who is an adventurer, firefighter, and lifelong martial artist who thrives in high-pressure situations. Whether navigating the remote Arctic, making split-second decisions as a firefighter, or battling on the mats as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, he has spent his life mastering the art of resilience.

You can review the show-notes at: TBC

For over 40 years, Stephan has crisscrossed the Canadian North, leading wilderness expeditions and completing solo journeys into the Arctic’s most unforgiving landscapes. With an honours BSc in Biology from McGill University and an MSc in Arctic Botany specializing in climate change from the University of British Columbia, his deep connection to the natural world is both academic and personal. His seven years as a field biologist further sharpened his understanding of survival, adaptation, and perseverance.

A martial artist since the age of 12, Stephan has been a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for nearly two decades, helping tens of thousands of practitioners worldwide through his books, courses, and YouTube channel. In the fire service, he serves as a captain, and in 2001, he was awarded the National Medal of Bravery for saving two trapped firefighters from a burning warehouse.

His latest book, Perseverance: Life and Death in the Subarctic, chronicles his grueling 1,000-mile solo journey through the Canadian wilderness following a life-threatening illness. Facing storms, bears, and his own self-doubt, he rediscovered the strength to endure in the raw solitude of the North. Part survival epic, part personal transformation, Perseverance is a gripping and deeply human story of pushing past limits, embracing uncertainty, and finding the will to keep going.

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