Surviving the Antarctic, Small goals, and Misery

I read Endurance: Shackleton's Voyage.

Ernest Shackleton led The Imperial Antarctic Expedition, which went awry and resulted in him and his 27-man crew traversing thousands of miles of Antarctic ice and open waters to be rescued. It’s one of the most remarkable stories of leadership, grit, and resilience ever lived or told.

Here are the 7 most important lessons:

1. Morale is Everything

“More battles are lost by loss of hope than loss of blood.” — Andrew Roberts, Napoleon: A Life.

As a leader (you are a leader), doing what is necessary to maintain high morale and strong hope in positive future outcomes is the most important factor to consider. Shackleton was a master at this.

2. Small Goals Are Not Worth Pursuing

Until Shackleton came across a goal worthy of his pulling power — a goal that would test every fiber of his being — he was seen as immature and useless. In reality, however, he was simply dissatisfied and unfulfilled in his pursuits. Big goals are the only ones worth pursuing, and as such, the only ones that should be endeavored to be achieved.

3. Competence Saves Lives

Frank Worsley’s ability to navigate open waters and maneuver a small boat was responsible for saving the lives of every man on the expedition and any family they went on to create. His competence alone saved their lives in multiple instances. Become useful to your community, become competent.

4. Big Wins Pay for Many Experiments

Shackleton attempted a number of failed endeavors, ranging from whaling to mining, before he found his calling and obsession: expeditions. The glory, honor, wealth, and fulfillment he gained from the success of his Trans-Antarctic Expedition paid for the failed experiments that came before. All it takes is one successful experiment to pay for the many that came before. Never stop experimenting.

5. One Less Misery

At one point, 23 of the men were stranded on Elephant Island, hundreds of miles away from humanity while they waited for the rescue party to return. They were not focused on creating extravagant lives, but instead spent their time and effort reducing one misery at a time. Making their hut warmer, making candles last longer, making it easier to use the bathroom at night, and so on. With each misery they reduced, they created positive momentum and ultimately a bearable life.

6. This Too Shall Pass

The only reason these men survived is because, in large part due to Shackleton’s leadership, they never allowed themselves to believe they wouldn’t. They believed, deep down, that they would make it and did what was necessary for their belief to be proved correct.

7. God’s Delay is Not God’s Denial

After over a year floating on ice, the crew sailed three small boats to land. One of the boats was separated, but when it reached land, it could not find a suitable landing point for miles on end. They eventually rounded a point and found the other two boats. Had they found a place to land immediately, they likely would’ve never found the other two boats and would have significantly reduced the chances of survival for any of the boats. God places obstacles in our path in order for us to course-correct, not to misdirect us.

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Onward & Upward,

Nolan