Coming to you with a recap of Day 4 of the Titan Summit (Elevating the World + Making History) — and man, it was intense!
I’m excited to share this with you today because I think it’s something we all need to hear especially during this time of year.
I may or may not personally know you, but what I know to be true is that all of us make our problems into really big problems, but in reality, they probably aren’t.
Meet Nando Parrado — one of the few survivors of a plane crash in 1972 in the Andes Mountains.
Although there were other speakers on this final day, he stole the show and won our hearts.
(To be honest, there’s no way I can do Nando’s story of survival justice, so you’re welcome to watch part of it here in his TedX talk below and come back to this email.)
The short version of what we learned?
He reminded us that our problems — although they feel very real — are nothing compared to what he experienced.
He urged us to love and be kind. To not take anything for granted.
And although he didn’t say this specifically, one of my biggest takeaways was that we’re far more capable than we know and that our limits are normally self-inflicted and not actually the truth.
The thing that also struck me was the ability, willpower and innate instincts of the 16 young men to survive for 72 days on a remote mountain with no gear, no shelter besides the plane they crashed in. None of them had ever even seen snow!
From the moment the plane crashed, they followed their instincts to survive. They insulated the plane, they figured out how to stay alive during the dead of winter, they beat the odds.
And one of the most important lessons is one you’ve heard time and time again…
They never gave up.
When the plane crashed, they found a map a few weeks later. They knew they had to wait until spring since they couldn’t try to find help in the snow, but there was a point when Nando could no longer wait, so he and another one of the survivors set off to find help.
Little did they know, they were 110km/68mi away from the nearest town not the 8km/5mi they originally thought. So they had to walk 68 miles and literally scale mountains to get there — again, in their regular clothes (no coats or boots).
(Just to put this into perspective, in 2006, a team of National Geographic trained climbers and experts redid Nando’s journey, and even they had a difficult time.)
What does all of this have to do with you, lovely?
Well, today, I want to ask you what you’re making harder than it needs to be? What are you building up in your head?
What are you so afraid of? Is it real — like a mountain or avalanche or is it something that your mind is using to keep you small and stop you from going for your dreams?
Humans are capable of so much — going to the Moon, surviving for 72 days in the wilderness, running a 3:43.13 minute mile…
Don’t tell me you can’t go for your dreams too. Don’t tell me it’s too hard. Don’t tell me you’re not capable.
And remember, as cheesy as it sounds, this life is not a dress rehearsal. This is your one life. And you don’t actually know how much time you have so it’s up to you to make the most of it.
Are you?
This may be a hard email to read, lovely, I get it. I’m pushing you. But that’s because I love you and I want you to stop making your non-problems into problems. Stop limiting yourself.
Instead, trust your instincts. Go for your goals and at that, set your goals higher. Believe in yourself.
Keep your willpower strong. Trust that you’re not alone.
Believe.
And with that, thank you so much for following my journey at the Titan Summit. It’s been an honor and joy to share my experience with you.
Speak to you on Monday!
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