Ben Saunders: Why bother leaving the house?

Speakers: Ben Saunders: Arctic explorer

I watched this video this afternoon and felt deeply inspired and motivated by his sharing. During his speech, I am thinking about myself and build a connection with him and my planned journey after 25 Dec. There is nothing to fear, and the best way is to take action instead of being a spectator. I will go with my back pack and walk alone without fear.

the video is quite fascinating and below is extract of the video.

1. I am going to read this question from an terview earlier this year (2012): "Philosophically, does the constant supply of information steal our ability to imagine or replace our dreams of achieving ? After all, if it is being done somewhere by someone, and we can participate virtually, then why bother leaving the house ?"

In my nature, I guess, I am a doer of things more than I am a spectator or a contemplator of things, and it is that dichotomy, the gulf between ideas and action that i am going to try and explore briefly.

2. What is the use of climbing Mt. Everst ?
If you can not understand that there is something in man which respond to the challenge of this mountain and goes out to meet it , that the struggle is the struggle of life itself upward and forever upward, then you wont see why we go. What we get from this adventure is just sheer joy, and joy, after all, it the end of life. We dont live to eat and make money. We eat and make money to be able to enjoy life. That is what life means, and that is what life is for." George Mallory said.

3.To experience, to engage, to endeavor, rather than to watch and to wonder — that's where the real meat of life is to be found.

4. Our lives today are safer and more comfortable than they have ever been. There certainly it not much call for explorers nowadays. My career advisor at school never mention it as an option. If I want to know, for example, how many stars were in the Milky Way, how old those giant heads on Easter Island were, most of you could find that out right now without even standing up. And yet, if I have learned anything in nearly 12 years now of dragging heavy things around cold places, it is that true, real inspiration and growth only comes from adversity and from challenge, from steping away from what is comfortable and familiar and stepping out into the unknown. If life, we all have tempests to ride and poles to walk to, and I think metaphorically speaking, at least, we could all benefit from getting outside the house a little more often, if only we could sum up the courage. I certainly would implore you to open the door just a little bit and take a look at what's outside.