Caption: Stacy Allison

Posted: 12/31/1969 7:00pm

Category: Adventure

Many people dream of being the first to accomplish something extraordinary, but would you risk your life to do it?

Stacy Allison lived to tell the tale of becoming the first American woman to reach the summit of the world's highest mountain but it took her a couple tries to achieve her goal.

In 1988, after 29 days on the mountain, she finally reached that lofty milestone. She tells Growing Bolder that her first attempt left her trapped in a snow cave at 29,500 feet for five days following a record-setting storm.

She says mountain climbing is a perfect metaphor for life's challenges. She used her accomplishment to get ahead in business. These days, she runs her own construction company and is a highly sought after motivational speaker.

She shares her secrets of success that she learned on top of the world in her new book, "Many Mountains to Climb: Reflections on Competence, Courage and Commitment." For more information, click here.