Ernest Shackleton was an Irish explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic.
He was one of the principal figures of the Heroic Age of Antarctic Exploration which occurred at the turn of the last century, prior to the first World War.
Shackleton’s most famous expedition was the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition of 1914–1917.
The goal was to make the first land crossing of the Antarctic continent. However, Shackleton’s ship, the Endurance, became trapped in the ice and eventually sank, forcing the crew to endure a harrowing journey on foot and by boat to reach safety.
After the Endurance became trapped in packed ice, his crew lived there for 10 months before it was eventually crushed.
They were forced to abandon ship, and Shackleton and his crew endured months of hardship on the ice floes before reaching desolate Elephant Island.
Shackleton then embarked on an epic journey with a small crew in an open rowboat, the James Caird (no bigger than a queen bed), crossing 800 miles of treacherous seas to reach South Georgia Island.
From there, Shackleton organized a rescue mission, eventually saving all the men stranded on Elephant Island.
Despite not achieving his original goal, Shackleton’s leadership and determination ensured the survival of his entire crew, making his Antarctic expedition one of the greatest tales of survival in exploration history.
His experience, remarkable leadership and survival skills are retold in Alfred Lansing’s 1959 book “Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage.”
If you’ve never read the book, you probably can’t fathom how it’s possible that all the men in his charge survived.
But Shackleton himself summed it up in one word: optimism.
He is remembered as a man with incredible emotional maturity. Biographers agree he viewed each setback as just another problem to be solved.
“Optimism is true moral character,” Shackleton wrote in one of his diaries. And we could all take a lesson.
But optimism is more than a state of mind. It is scientific.
Optimism, from a scientific perspective, involves the tendency to expect positive outcomes, even in the face of adversity or uncertainty.
It’s more than just a disposition; it’s a cognitive bias that influences how we perceive and interpret events in our lives.
Optimism is strongly linked to psychological resilience, which is the ability to bounce back from challenges. Optimistic people tend to view setbacks as temporary and specific to particular situations, rather than pervasive or permanent.
Numerous studies have shown that optimism is associated with better physical and mental health outcomes. Optimistic individuals are less likely to experience depression, anxiety and stress-related disorders.
Optimists also tend to have stronger immune systems, lower blood pressure and a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease.
Optimism is often supported by cognitive biases such as the “optimism bias” or the “illusion of control.”
The optimism bias leads people to believe that they are less likely to experience negative events than others, while the illusion of control involves overestimating one’s ability to influence outcomes.
Research suggests that optimism may be influenced by brain chemistry. Neurotransmitters such as serotonin and dopamine may play a role in promoting optimistic thinking.
The science is staggering. Optimism is good, but we are not all wired to be optimists.
That’s okay because studies also show that optimism can become a learned behavior.
Optimism can be cultivated through various techniques such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), mindfulness practices and positive psychology interventions.
These approaches aim to challenge negative thinking patterns and promote a more optimistic outlook on life.
Optimism can also be contagious, spreading through social networks and influencing the attitudes and behaviors of those around us. Being surrounded by optimistic people can have a positive impact on one’s own level of optimism.
The science of optimism highlights the interconnectedness of mind and body, demonstrating how our thoughts and beliefs can influence our well-being and resilience in the face of life’s challenges.
I challenge you to choose optimism. If you can’t just turn it on, at least keep it top of mind.
General Colin Powell once said, “Perpetual optimism is a force multiplier.”
He was right.
Optimism acts as a force multiplier by enhancing motivation, resilience, problem-solving abilities, influence, health, creativity and relationships, ultimately leading to greater success and well-being in various aspects of life.
The opposite of optimism James once said, “Pessimism leads to weakness, optimism to power.”
Pessimism can contribute to a sense of weakness by undermining motivation, resilience, social support, physical health and problem-solving abilities. It’s important for us to challenge pessimistic thinking patterns and develop more adaptive ways of coping with stress and adversity.
All this harkens back to a sentiment I shared in last week’s column— write your own success story, not your own obituary.
Choose to be optimistic. Choose to solve problems. Choose to offer solutions.
We can’t all be Shackleton. Very few, if any, of us will ever traverse the South Pole. But we all traverse the challenges of daily life.
Like Shackleton, they are all just problems to be solved. Take them on one at a time and, at all costs, maintain optimism.
