This past season while deep in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, Trevor Thomas and his Superpower Dog Tennille topped out above the clouds on Mt. Elbert, Colorado’s tallest peak at 14,400 ft., notching the first-ever solo ascent of the mountain by a blind person and guide dog. However this summit wasn’t the only milestone of the venture, just a fitting end to what was a tremendous 2015 for these rugged companions.

Trevor Thomas, known on the trail as “Zero/Zero,” a moniker coined for his vision (or lack thereof), is the world’s only blind professional long distance hiker. He and his expedition partner Tennille, a sturdy and affable 5 year-old black lab, have been a team since 2012, when he received her from Guide Dogs for the Blind, a service dog training organization. As a specially trained guide dog, Tennille has enabled Trevor to safely travel solo and unsupported across thousands of miles of backcountry trails. On their way to summiting Mt. Elbert this past summer, Trevor and Tennille completed the first solo, self-navigated thru hike of the Colorado Trail by a blind person and guide dog, a 500-mile trek through some of the most technical and remote terrain in the Rocky Mountain range.

It goes without saying that these two thrive on the challenge, which explains why each successive trip they undertake heightens in ambition and difficulty. The Colorado Trail expedition of 2015 was just the latest in a growing list of first ascents and record-setting solo treks, part of a passionate quest that was first ignited in 2008 when Trevor gained notoriety by becoming the first blind person to complete a solo, unassisted thru hike of the 2,175 mile Appalachian Trail. As word has spread about this plucky duo, their achievements have inspired many to aim skyward and break their own barriers of what’s possible.

Yes these two are exceptional, but there is no magic formula for such great accomplishments. What really is inspiring about Trevor and Tennille is their process, a passionate and driven mindset to achieve greatness one step at a time. This type of mastery over mind and body doesn’t happen by chance, nor is it something inherently gifted to a lucky few. In fact, in Trevor’s case, it all started in 2005, when he suddenly and unexpectedly went blind.

A recent law school grad, Trevor was springboarding into a career with the JAG Corps when a rarely diagnosed eye condition turned his world upside down. Life seemed to close off overnight, as even simple tasks became a struggle. Just when things seemed to be at their bleakest, a fate encounter with fellow blind adventurer, Erik Weihenmayer, led to a cathartic breakthrough.

The initial loss of his eyesight had left Trevor stuck in fixed mindset, believing that his vision had enabled him to do certain things, and without it they were no longer attainable. However, the subtle but ground-shaking shift in outlook that was triggered by Erik’s example led Trevor to reframe his entire approach. Starting by relearning how to navigate his environment, short walks around his neighborhood eventually led to hiking trails as he gradually pushed his comfort zone a little further each day.

With a new sense of confidence to confront the unknown, he made the crucial shift into a growth mindset; realizing his opportunity to explore the world was no longer a matter of ability but a matter of intentional practice.