My friend Nicole’s husband, Alex, was the epitome of hard work—not just hard work, but personal and physical optimization. An avid mountain climber for 20 years, Alex had attended college, gained an MBA, climbed Kilimanjaro, scaled Everest, and started a Leadership Coaching business that blended all of them. Very successful, in a loving marriage with two kids, the picture of physical health, it made sense that Alex equated his achievements with his undeniable determination and will.
Until two years ago when he faced a severe health crisis.