photo credit: Individuo

When I find myself encountering difficulties, I often use the image of Sir Ernest Shackleton as a source of
inspiration, and I encourage my clients to do the same.

Sir Ernest Shackleton led one of the first Antarctic expeditions. Almost everything that could possibly have gone wrong on his expedition went wrong. His ship got stuck in ice during the Antarctic winter and was smashed into pieces. Nevertheless, Shackleton viewed each obstacle as an adventure and as an opportunity for growth that called for the utilization of his and his men’s creative potential and inner resourcefulness. He turned each obstacle into a game: To stagnate was to fail; to grow was to win. Shackleton took the pieces from his broken ship and built a small, rowboat-sized boat. He sailed that little boat 600 miles to the nearest whaling island. When he was within eyeshot of that island, a storm arose, and this weather kept him at bay for three days in stormy waters. Once he finally arrived at the island, he needed to hike through 26 miles of mountainous terrain to reach the whaling encampment.

Every man in Shackleton’s expedition survived. When my clients (or I myself) encounter hardship, I will sometimes ask, “How would Shackleton handle this situation?” Sometimes, I will ask clients to shut their
eyes and envision themselves on Shackleton’s ship, as a members of his expedition. I ask each of them,
“As a member of Shackleton’s team, what’s your next adventurous step?”

This article is the first in a long series of articles designed to help you realize your goals.

Most of us have ideas about the life we’d like to be living, and most of us need encouragement from time to time to help us focus on and achieve our goals. These goals may relate to your relationships with your family, your friends and colleagues, or with yourself. Before beginning your journey toward personal tikun (correction/improvement) and toward getting to know yourself, think of five personal goals you wish to accomplish and list them in your Growth Journal.

The famous Rabbi and Kabbalist Avraham Isaac Kook was once strolling through a garden with a close friend. As they were walking, the friend casually broke a leaf off of a bush that they were passing. Rabbi Kook stopped and told his friend that spiritual consciousness requires that one even be aware of the life force that flows through inanimate objects such as plants (and even stones).

Kabbalah teaches that every blade of grass has a unique angel above that commands and encourages it to grow. Each blade of grass has its own purpose in this world that keeps the universe in balance.

Question: How can you live your life so that you can have less impact on the natural environment around you?

Kabbalah teaches that after a person dies they are brought before the Heavenly Court. Never once are they asked, “Why weren’t you like this famous person or this Nobel Peace Prize winner. A person is only asked, “Why weren’t you more like you?” “Why didn’t you do everything you could to realize your own potential?” We are never judged according to what others do or did therefore there is no point comparing ourselves to others. We are only held accountable for our own actions and for the effort that we exert in order to fulfill our personal mission in life and self-potential. Life is short and there is no time to waste. Ask yourself, “Am I being the best that I can be? Am I fulfilling my potential?”