He Lost A Race Because Of A Rock

Well over 100 years ago, two explorers…

Captain Robert Scott of the British Royal Navy and Roald Amundsen of Norway…

Raced to become the first person to reach the South Pole.

On the surface, the story sounds fairly mundane.

But here’s why it’s so great…

Ten different people can hear it and have ten DIFFERENT takeaways lessons.

For example, some people see it as an anecdote for why consistency is key…

Scott’s team (allegedly) only traveled when the weather was good. Amundsen’s team traveled 15 miles every day, no matter the weather. Amundsen’s team won, Scott’s team lost. Consistency prevailed.

Others see the story as a parable for the importance of proper preparation and planning...

Scott underestimated the amount of food his team would need. As a result, his men were malnourished. Amundsen, on the other hand, planned so well that his team gained weight during the expedition.

But my favorite takeaway of the story, one I think too few people zero in on, is this:

Scott was distracted by rocks.

See, even though it was a race, Scott wanted to collect geology samples along the way. He was determined to make scientific discoveries during the expedition, so his team would periodically stop and collect specimens.

Okay, men. Focus. We’ve got to beat Amundsen’s team. We’ve got to keep our eyes on the prize. We’ve got to… hey, look, a rock!”

Needless to say, this slowed Scott’s team down.

It also added to the weight of their sleds since, you know, rocks are heavy

But, most importantly, it influenced the route Scott chose to take on the expedition.

Inexplicably, Scott choose a route with harsher weather and terrain because, I kid you not, it was going to have better rock samples to collect.

Pretty nuts, right?

But know what’s even nuttier…

You and I aren't all THAT different from Scott.

Not really.

Oh, sure, I doubt either of us, in the middle of a race, would stop to pick up ROCKS…

But that doesn’t mean we aren’t doing the equivalent.

There’s a project to complete, but we keep checking email and social media.

We want to write, but we can’t take our eyes off of the television.

We want to take an online course to boost our skills, but our Star Trek memorabilia (or whatever) addiction makes saving up enough money to buy it an impossibility.

Those are rocks.

Not literal rocks, but proverbial ones.

They distract you. Slow you down. Keep you from winning the race.

Scott’s (literal) rocks contributed to his team losing the race and DYING (yep, not one of ‘em survived).

What about yours?

What rocks are keeping you from writing?

From being able to quit the rat race?

From being able to reach your goals?

Write them down on a piece of paper and read them aloud. Commit them to memory.

Because there will always be two paths in your life it is you who have to choose which part is good for me or which is not sometimes the wrong path seems the good one and the good path seems wrong remember it is you who have to choose wisely and it is you who has full control over your life

It is you who is the main hero of your life no one else you decide your destination be your hero stay positive and honest the paths of righteous will open

And the next time you’re on a mission and you come across one of these “rocks”, ignore it. Don’t let it distract you. Just keep on walkin’.