Endurance (Part III)

Be sure to read part one and part two before continuing here.

We have now reached my final takeaway from Alfred Lansing’s “Endurance.”

Let's get right into it:

Purpose is Crucial

Upon reading “Endurance,” one could easily believe the crew members of the ice-trapped ship to be masters of entertainment. And they certainly were that.

The long polar nights, when they were holed up in their ship, were spent performing theater skits, giving lectures on topics of interest or those chosen by shipmates. They enjoyed poker and other card games, sang songs, and competed in dog sled races. Their creativity seemed to have no limits, and several men even remarked that, at times, life was not all that bad despite their dire situation.

But the entertainment they provided themselves, while crucial to keeping spirits up, was primarily a distraction – a way of passing the time until they could take action toward their greater purpose: escaping Antarctica.

This purpose was crucial.

It was what helped them endure sleepless nights, freezing temperatures, seal blubber meals, sickness, boredom, voices in the wind, hopelessness, and more.

Ultimately, it was purpose that helped them endure.

Purpose gave them direction, a path to follow, a goal to pursue. It knit them together as a cohesive team. It made 28 strangers become a fellowship.

Above all, it made their suffering bearable because it gave it meaning.

Suffering without meaning is perhaps the most unbearable thing man can face.

And lack of purpose is perhaps the greatest way man can suffer.

Thank you for reading Chisel&Feather!

The limited sources of food certainly caused the men plenty of suffering.

Victor Frankl may have said it best with these words:

“Those who have a 'why' to live can bear with almost any 'how'.”

For the men of the Endurance, the ‘how’ was a hard question to answer.

The ‘how’ left their faces discolored by the smoke of seal blubber fires. It left them running from leopard seals and chopping away ice until they were utterly exhausted. Their ‘how’ tasted of penguin and dog, sounded like ice floes cracking, and felt like freezing to death in soaked clothes.

But those negatives were endurable because their ‘why’ was powerful: Get back home.

And so, their sense of purpose drove them across the ice, back to civilization.

If, however, there is no answer to the question of ‘why?’; if there is no purpose, then even the smallest hurdle is enough to stop someone in their tracks and make them believe it cannot be overcome … not because of the size of the obstacle but because of the lack of purpose.

Purpose is crucial.

It lends direction to ambition and meaning to suffering.

So, there you have it.

Those are my biggest takeaways from “Endurance” by Alfred Lansing.

Hopelessness is easy.

Leadership is by example.

Purpose is crucial.

I strongly encourage you to read the book for yourself.

It will make you feel fragile and weak compared to the forces of nature.

It will help you understand how much more the human mind and body can endure than you ever thought possible.

It will make you grateful for the daily comforts of your own life, while also leaving an unmistakable longing for adventure in your heart.

It will teach you how to endure suffering with joy.

Above all, it will show that hopelessness is easy, leadership is by example, and purpose is crucial … for castaways in Antarctica as well as for you and me.

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It appears the Endurance-Crew did not like saying 'cheese'.

"Lunch Break" - The men of the 'Endurance' enjoy a warm beverage