Tag Archives: survival

Your success depends on the risks you take

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“Your success depends on the risks you take. Your survival depends on the risks you avoid.”

—James Clear, NYT Best-Selling Author

Image from Unsplash by Loic Leray

At first glance, the two ideas in today’s quote seem opposite — but together, they form the balance of living a meaningful life.

Success generally requires bold moves, stepping into the unknown, and daring to stretch beyond comfort.

Every achievement is born from someone willing to say, “I’ll try,” yet survival reminds us to discern which risks are worth it.

Not every risk leads upward, some lead to unnecessary harm.

Wisdom lies in knowing when to move forward with courage — and when to pause with clarity.

The art of living fully isn’t about avoiding risk, nor chasing everyone — it’s about choosing bravely, but not blindly.

EXERCISE:

What is your current relationship with taking risk?

What wisdom and experiences have your gained over the years to choose bravely but not blindly?

Through endurance we conquer

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“Through endurance we conquer.”

—Ernest Shackleton, 20 Century Anglo-Irish Antarctic explorer

Image from https://www.ernestshackleton.net/

Ernest Shackleton’s Antarctic adventures are legendary. His most famous expedition —The Endurance Expedition (1914-1917) — aimed to cross Antarctica but turned into a survival epic.

His ship named Endurance became trapped and was eventually crushed by ice in the Weddell Sea. Shackleton and his crew survived months on drifting ice flows before reaching Elephant Island.

Realizing their chance of survival were slim to none he and five of his crew made a perilous 800-mile journey in a small boat to South Georgia, where on their fourth attempt eventually rescued the entire crew after nearly two years facing extreme weather, limited supplies, and unbearable isolation.

EXERCISE:

Where and when have you demonstrated tremendous endurance to conquer the life challenges facing you?

For inspiration, please watch the documentary Endurance online through National Geographic and Disney plus.  Other platforms such as Hulu and Sling TV may also offer access to this documentary.