What if the very things meant to break you could push you higher than you ever imagined?

For Meghan S. Buchanan—engineer, mountaineer, and adventure athlete—that question became her life’s truth. Diagnosed with dyslexia as a child and told she wouldn’t achieve much, Meghan faced self-doubt, setbacks, and doubt from others. Instead of giving in, she built something stronger: GGRIT.

Gratitude. Growth. Resilience. Integrity. Tenacity.

This five-part framework guided her through learning differences, career challenges, injuries, and loss—and carried her to the world’s highest mountains, including Mount Everest, in pursuit of the Seven Summits and Explorers Grand Slam.

Meghan Buchanan is an aerospace engineer, adventure athlete, and keynote speaker. She has set her sights on becoming the first US Woman to com- plete the Adventurers Grand Slam (climbing the world’s Seven Summits and completing unsupported expeditions to the North and South Poles). Meghan is no stranger to taking on the impossible and defying odds. Meghan faced adversity from an early age, diagnosed with dyslexia at age 7. She was determined to overcome stereotypes and discrimination: to pursue a career as an aerospace engineer with learning differences. Meghan has a BS and ME in engineering from the University of Colorado and currently works fulltime as a senior principal engineer.