A brother’s warning over the radio. An 80‑metre abseil into darkness. A cone splits, lava surges, and the exact spot rigged with rope is swallowed in seconds. That’s the moment Aldo Kane, former Royal Marines sniper, expedition leader, and on-screen explorer, decided not to commit to the drop inside Nyiragongo's crater, a call that almost certainly saved his life. We unpack that decision and everything wrapped around it: risk, responsibility, and the identity you carry long after the expedition ends. We trace Aldo’s path from elite military training to leading film crews into hostile environments and appearing on camera for Apple TV, Nat Geo, the BBC and more. He explains what a safety lead really does when cameras narrow attention and the world around you turns volatile: build systems, translate danger into choices, and create productive friction so the best idea wins. We dig into decision‑making under pressure, how to act on intuition while you wait for facts, why a bias to action restores control, and when to abandon the first plan without ego. From lava lakes and hurricane‑like thermal winds to CO2 sinks and crumbling calderas, the volcano story anchors wider lessons. The jungle breaks more crews than the cold, deadfall kills more than snakes, and the most dangerous missions may involve people, not landscapes: narcos, illegal wildlife trade, money and ego. We talk about the crash after the shoot, coming home as a parent, and building circuit breakers to protect your life off camera. As the TV industry shifts, Aldo shares how he’s pivoted his expedition mindset into coaching CEOs and leadership teams, proving that courage, discipline, unselfishness and cheerfulness in adversity are performance tools far beyond the field. If this story moved you, tap follow or subscribe, rate the show, and share it with someone who thrives under pressure. Leave a short review with your biggest takeaway. Links: WEBSITE: https://www.aldokane.com/ BOOK: Lessons from the Edge - https://www.aldokane.com/books TV SHOWS: https://www.aldokane.com/media Socials: https://www.instagram.com/aldokane/ https://www.facebook.com/aldo.kane https://www.linkedin.com/in/aldo-kane-32526a136/ Send a text SUPPORT US - NOM is a 100% independent show. Help us keep the lights on by buying us a coffee (or a beer) - https://buymeacoffee.com/noordinarymonday. We're deeply grateful for any level of support. SHOW SOME LOVE - click five-stars on whatever platform you're on, and leave us a review, or tell a friend about the show. WANT TO BE A GUEST? You can submit your own career story through our website at noordinarymonday.com, email us at hello@noordinarymonday.com.
