Mike Horn, the extreme adventurer, clearly fulfills the definition of the word “fascination” which we unanimously agree! Indeed, his reputation precedes him. The achievements of this unparalleled athlete are impressive, with his unquestionable ability to astound. Besides the renowned feats and accomplishments of this force of nature, his personality also deserves our attention. At the root of his success are his endurance and perseverance – the rare qualities that most of us give up when we embrace the conventions of society, qualities that we yearn for in ourselves when we see him perform.
Mike Horn is more than an inspiration. You would even call him ” a respiration” – the breath of air that we so desperately need, invigorating our lungs, the wake-up call that finally gets our attention. At the core of this man lies simplicity and an infinite source of energy – the energy of life. He knows no rest, will not tolerate waiting, prefers to be moving, yet always remaining open and available. When he shakes your hand, his grip reinvigorates you. When he hugs you, his embrace revitalizes you. Always joyful and seemingly amused by everything. Never pretentious or showy and always polite.
With the planet as his playing field, Switzerland is where Mike Horn chose to establish himself for the last three decades. He speaks perfect French with a South African accent betraying his anglophone origins. Living on the banks of Lake Geneva, this former lieutenant of special forces who fought in Angola settled down to start a family, becoming the father of two daughters. Now adults equipped with degrees, they manage Horn’s career after the passing of their mother in 2015. Since then, Horn and his daughters have been pursuing their shared dreams. As founders of his communications agency, they have accompanied him on his various expeditions. Jessica joins him on our shoot. She chose the location, which, according to her, is like her father. As he prepares to perform a stunt by plunging into the lake dressed in a new suit by Bong.nie Grieder, she states: “He is the child here.” This is undeniable: Mike has definitely stayed in touch with his inner child. One who plays without fear. One without a single worry. The inner child that we have all lost in ourselves. What if we tried to be like Mike? A flicker of passion reignites within us, much like the spark always present in his eyes.
"The Explorer"
From a psychological perspective, Mike seems to have retained some of the theorized human’s pre-evolutionary reptilian neurology. He exudes an almost palpable enthusiasm instinctively. Freedom is his source of life, a man driven by intuition and guided viscerally with unbelievably sharp reflexes. However, neuroscientists now debunk the reptilian neurology theory and acknowledge that it was a scientific mistake. For the rest of us mortals, this is great news! This means that we, too, can be like Mike Horn. His physical abilities are not a gift of nature but a skill that we can strive to attain. Mike is built just like us, and we can follow his example with no physical limitations. Mike can teach us to do more than just dream! He is the ideal person to motivate us to realize our full potential and instill a sense of achievement. He can give us a true sense of reality and draw us out of our comfort zones.
Mike is ready to reach out to those with an awakening desire to live and embark on the next adventure going further, faster. Health conditions have interrupted his public conferences, as well as his travels, this past year. Before this year, Mike had never stayed in Switzerland for such an extended time. This gave us the welcome opportunity to conduct this interview and capture photographs, along with fine watchmaking house Panerai, where Mike serves as an ambassador and has received funding for his expeditions for over twenty years, even before his glory and fame. Mike prizes authenticity above all, alongside expanding our passions and streamlining our goals. Get to know Mike Horn!
