How Do You Become an Explorer? [Lessons from Will Steger, Polar Explorer]
Do anything you want, just set your mind to it.
- Will Steger
I had the opportunity to hear Will Steger’s keynote speech at the Live Green expo in Duluth, MN on September 7, 2008. While Will’s keynote primarily focused on his first-hand observations of the changing climate at the poles of our planet, his thoughts on life were equally fascinating.
How DO you become an explorer?
Will lead the first dogsled traverse of Antartica, the first dogsled trip without re-supply to the north pole, and countless other expeditions. When I heard him speak, it was clear his inspiration and lessons for becoming an explorer are directly usable in any context (not just polar exploration)! For example, you may be innovating and challenging conventional thinking in your current career. Or, maybe you’re a teacher trying to find the inspiration to push the boundaries of education. Whatever the case may be, I found Will’s story so relevant that I had to share it here.
3 Ways to Become An Explorer
Tip #1 – Leverage the freedom you have
Will grew up in a household with 3 simple rules. Outside of these rules, he was given the freedom to do pretty much whatever he wanted.
- Get good grades
- Stay out of trouble with the law
- Pay for things yourself
There is a lesson here for leaders, project managers, educators, and others: give your people the freedom to innovate (with some simple rules to follow), and they will AMAZE you. It can be scary, and you might get some unfavorable results, but in the end, you go places with them that you never imagined were possible.
Tip #2: Seek inspiration from magazines, and travel places you’ve never been
Will got his climbing inspiration from reading National Geographic, a magazine that typically takes it’s readers far away from where they physically are located on the planet. This forces the reader to dream, visualize, and wonder what such places are like. I once read the Dalai Lama recommends visiting one completely new place every year. I love that idea, and try to practice it annually.
What magazines, books, blogs, or people help you dream? What trips have you taken lately that push you out of your comfort zone? When was the last time you sifted through magazines relevant to your career, and non-relevant magazines too, searching for applicable ideas?
Tip #3: Just do it!
When he was fifteen, Will built a boat and sailed it down the Mississippi, from Minneapolis/St. Paul to New Orleans. He set his mind to exploring, and then he got busy doing it.
How much time do you spend truly doing things you are passionate about every day? It may sound crazy, but I love internet marketing. Always have, probably always will. The desire to be the best internet marketer possible gets me going each morning more than the seriously big cup of coffee on my desk. If you’ve found a passion but aren’t investing time in it, that’s just as tough as not finding a passion to begin with! Make the time, and just do it.
Bonus Tip: Persevere like Will Steger
Check out these stats of a Will Steger expedition to cross Antarctica:
- 3,700 miles, 220 days
- 1 dozen mountain ranges to go over
- 56-day storms
- Temperature: -30 degrees farenheit
- Wind Chill: -80 degrees farenheit
And what does Will do? He endures these extremes and brings back amazing lessons for those who will never go there.
The next time you are working on a project that takes you to extremes, remember to take some notes along the way to teach others. They’ll benefit tremendously from the “places” you explore.