"For many years I thought that walking 1,800 miles to the South Pole and back would be the toughest challenge I could pit myself against. But finishing the expedition that defeated Shackleton and killed Captain Scott was a simple thing compared to the inward journey that followed it."
– Ben Saunders
Across two decades – and more than a year on the ice – he has covered more than 4,500 miles (7,242km) on foot in the polar regions. His accomplishments include leading The Scott Expedition, the longest human-powered polar journey in history, and the first completion of the expedition that defeated Captain Scott and Sir Ernest Shackleton, a 108-day round-trip from Ross Island on the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back again. Ben is the third person in history to ski solo to the North and South poles, and holds the record for the longest solo Arctic journey by a Briton.
He is a global brand ambassador for Canada Goose, an ambassador for Scouts and The Prince’s Trust, a patron, fellow and development board member of British Exploring, a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, a patron of the Thrive Foundation, and an acclaimed keynote speaker, described by TED (where he has spoken three times, with his talks receiving more than five million views) as ‘a master storyteller’.
Ben's 3 tips for wellness
Free, easy to access and rewarding
Self-belief is like a muscle
Self-belief has been crucial in the success I’ve achieved in the polar world, and my theory is that it’s a bit like a muscle: it needs challenge and resistance in order to become stronger. By tackling challenges, even when you're unsure how to accomplish them, and approaching the inevitable hurdles we’ll all face as opportunities in disguise, you can expand your sense of agency and build resilience over time.
Focus on what you can control
This is wisdom that goes all the way back to the Stoics, but my expeditions taught me the vital importance of understanding what you can control, and what you can’t, and then trying to focus your attention and energy as exclusively as you can on the former.
Success is not a finish line
For years I made the mistake of falling into the (very common and very human) trap of thinking “I’ll be happy when…”. I made the mistake of viewing success as a one-time deal; a threshold I’d finally cross one day in the future. I used to think the only valid definition of success was achieving your goal. To me now, it looks more like continuing to strive well.
