Endurance
Louis Rudd
Pan Macmillan
As we go by Lord Byron, prolonged endurance tames the bold but there are some individuals who have perfectioned the art of concentrating patience and conquering bad fortune by endurance, one of which is Louis Rudd, who among other accomplishments has completed many tours in extreme cold weather environments, including inside the Arctic Circle – unsupported and unaccompanied.
Rudd’s book, aptly titled “Endurance”, details in a first-person narrative the evolution of a man who not only cultivated a thirst for challenges but simultaneously grew his courage, mental strength and determination.
While the book will definitely appeal to anyone remotely into pushing one’s individual boundaries, it has an inspiring aspect that makes it relatable even to the yet to be initiated as far as Polar expeditions are concerned in that Rudd sheds light on his adventures step-by-straining step in such an engaging manner that one cannot help but feel in the midst of the action.
On a more abstract level, there are valuable lessons to be learned that apply to seemingly unrelated areas of life as far as leadership, team building and the mastery of the journey through life is concerned.
The fact that Louis Rudd’s approach to his story is informed by humility and humbleness adds to the stories of exploration, endurance and physical and mental resilience, which is results in a motivating reading experience that fuels one’s struggle with the day-to-day pressures we all face in life and at work.