These Books Will Help You Lead (And Live) Like a Great Explorer
Imagine a life where you navigate the vast landscapes of your existence with the spirit of an explorer, constantly seeking, discovering, and growing. In today’s exploration, we're sharing our favorite books that impart the wisdom, courage, and vision to chart your course through life's uncharted territories. Whether you're a budding leader, an intrepid traveler, or simply someone seeking personal growth, these books are the compass to your inner explorer.
I’ve saved my all-time favorite for last so be sure to scroll all the way.
Leaders Eat Last: Why Some Teams Pull Together and Others Don’t by Simon Sinek
I’ve seen this play out on ships and in the field throughout my career: real leaders understand the power of empathy, building a culture of trust, and putting others first in order to provide a sense of fulfillment and drive. They understand that their every action is under the scrutiny of their staff.
Sinek draws on real-world examples to illustrate the principles of effective leadership, which ultimately leads to higher performance and satisfaction.
On the Edge: Leadership Lessons from Mt. Everest and Other Extreme Environments by Alison Levine
This polar explorer and team captain of the first American Women's Everest Expedition knows a thing or 9 million about leadership. In On the Edge, Levine recounts her daring expeditions to some of the world's highest peaks, including Mount Everest. In doing so, she provides readers with an intimate look into the physical and mental endurance required to climb these formidable mountains and the profound lessons she learned along the way. As a woman in a predominantly male environment, Levine also reflects on the gender barriers she encountered and how she broke through them with determination and resilience.
From these experiences, she imparts valuable leadership lessons applicable to adventure, personal, and business settings.
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield
If you’ve been staring at a blank page—literally or figuratively—The War of Art is loaded with sage advice from someone who understands the slog. Winning our inner battles is the name of the game.
Sidenote: This was over ten years ago, but I emailed Steven Pressfield to share my love for this book. His assistant kindly responded and asked for my address. A week later, three copies of The War of Art and three copies of Turning Pro: Tap Your Inner Power and Create Your Life's Work arrived at my doorstep. Not that you should expect the same (!), but that generosity has made me a lifelong fan of Pressfield beyond the page.
Polar Exposure: An All-Women’s Expedition to the North Pole by Felicity Aston
When Felicity Aston, an intrepid British explorer, threw out a call for a crew of women with just a smidgen of experience (or less) and a bold spirit ready to reach the North Pole, she got herself quite the surprise – more than a thousand brave souls answered the call.
Throughout the book, Aston highlights the strength, resilience, and camaraderie that emerges among the 10-woman-team as they navigate the treacherous terrain and face the extreme weather conditions of the polar wilderness. Their collective determination and unwavering support for one another propel them forward, overcoming physical and mental obstacles.
Polar Exposure differs from other travel memoirs in that each of these adventurers shares her own narrative, serving up a piece of the puzzle. In total, I found it to be a phenomenal meditation on teamwork, personality and skills assessment, empathy, and all of the traits that help one work well within a group, and—in Felicity’s case—to lead one.
The Adventure Gap: Changing the Face of the Outdoors by James Edward Mills
Leaders understand the need to address systemic issues. In "The Adventure Gap," James Mills shares the disparities and underrepresentation of people of color in outdoor activities not solely due to lack of interest or capability but rooted in historical and systemic barriers. Mills highlights inspiring individuals (who history hasn’t highlighted enough) who have broken barriers and created opportunities for marginalized communities to access and thrive in outdoor spaces.
While "The Adventure Gap" is essential reading for outdoor enthusiasts, advocates for social justice, and anyone interested in building a more inclusive and diverse outdoor community, it challenges us all to confront the inequalities that persist in every industry.
Life Lessons from Explorers by Felicity Aston
For a more direct assessment of traits and actions taken by explorers that you can learn from, British explorer and author Felicity Aston presents, “Lessons from Explorers.” This value-packed read collects 15 of the most highly prized traits shared by “those who have scaled mountains and traversed tundras,” proposing how these could be applied to your own life—no matter your obstacle. Compelling accounts of the life and times of celebrated and lesser-known explorers highlight when they have displayed these traits and the outcomes of their efforts.
Aston is one of the foremost voices in exploration today, and Life Lessons from Explorers is the perfect companion to her adventure narratives.
Embrace the Suck: The Navy SEAL Way to an Extraordinary Life by Brent Gleeson
Can anyone truly attain such a formidable level of resilience as “embracing the suck?” Gleeson demystifies this question, revealing the trifecta of Challenge-Commitment-Control as the bedrock of unwavering tenacity. Resilient individuals view challenges as opportunities for growth, commit to their goals with unwavering determination, and channel their energy into the aspects they can control. Embrace the Suck isn't merely a mantra; it's a blueprint for life transformation. Gleeson's roadmap empowers you to expand your comfort zone, fostering a life filled with purpose and meaning.
Through candid narratives, behavioral science insights, and a hearty dose of self-effacing humor, Embrace the Suck becomes a beacon of hope and a mentor for those navigating the tumultuous seas of life, turning adversity into stepping stones toward success.
Planetwalker: 17 Years of Silence. 22 Years of Walking by John Francis
Real leaders listen. That’s what John Francis learned over 22 years of walking and 17 years of silence. It began as a silent environmental protest, but as a young African-American man walking across the country in the early 1970s, his idea of "the environment" expanded beyond concern about pollution and loss of habitat to include how we humans treat each other and how we can better communicate and work together to benefit the earth.
Through his silence and walking, he learned to listen. Along the way—while silent—he earned college and graduate degrees in science and environmental studies. “Part of the mystery of walking is that the destination is inside us, and we really don't know when we arrive until we arrive.”
Start with Why: How Great Leaders Inspire Everyone to Take Action by Simon Sinek
I’ve worked with several mission-driven organizations, and the leaders who follow the lessons in this book were more successful than those who didn’t. Most influential leaders, innovators, and organizations begin with a clear sense of why they do what they do. They don't focus on what or how, but rather the fundamental "why" behind their actions and purpose. It's a notion that ignites passion, inspires others, and distinguishes the exceptional from the ordinary.
Drawing from real-world examples, Sinek takes you behind the scenes of iconic companies and figures who changed the world by starting with why. By the end, you’ll want to embark on a journey toward inspired leadership and a life driven by a powerful sense of purpose.
The Obstacle is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph by Ryan Holiday
Ryan Holiday has quickly become one of my favorite writers and content creators. Check out his Youtube Channel and his site, The Daily Stoic for a ton of valuable information on stoicism and tackling some of life’s toughest challenges.
I particularly like The Obstacle is the Way because I’ve found through my career in the travel industry that the times when things go wrong are the best time to step up and show your customers, coworkers, etc. what really sets you apart. You can make clients, friends, and supporters for life in what could be perceived as disasters. Holiday comes through with great advice on just that in The Obstacle is the Way.
The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success by Darren Hardy
Step by step, decision by decision, that’s how explorers achieve their goals. It’s also my biggest challenge. Thankfully, Darren Hardy provides us with a straightforward equation to illustrate this phenomenon: SMALL, SMART CHOICES + CONSISTENCY + TIME = RADICAL DIFFERENCE.
Moreover, when success does start to manifest, resisting complacency is vital, as backsliding can be difficult to recover from. Early achievements are a sign of progress and an indication to intensify your efforts to sustain the momentum. This book has been hugely helpful for me across goals and is one I have to revisit regularly!
What investment in yourself will pay more dividends than learning how to learn…better? I bought Outsmart Your Brain after Angela Duckworth (author of Grit) praised it on LinkedIn. The book has helped my brain hurt less while trying to learn.
You’ll see “students” referenced in every review, but we are all learners. The research and recommendations are presented clearly. The tactics are useful. The takeaways will be lifelong.
If you want leadership lessons from a great explorer, this is a masterclass. Shackleton’s Way focuses on the behavior and actions of Sir Ernest Shackleton, the great early 20th-century explorer, and why he set among the greatest examples of leadership in history.
The way Morell and Capparell structure the leadership lessons while weaving in the incredible exploration narratives makes Shackleton’s Way a special read. From selecting people to setting an example to anticipating problems with multiple options, Shackleton’s misfortune in the Antarctic gives us modern readers incredible insights with which to address our everyday lives.
Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance by Angela Duckworth
In "Grit," Angela Duckworth reshapes our understanding of achievement, revealing that it's not innate talent but a unique blend of passion and unwavering persistence, which she dubs "grit."
Readers are taken on a journey through various fields, including the trials faced by cadets at West Point, the challenges encountered by teachers in under-resourced schools, and the experiences of young finalists in the National Spelling Bee.
Among the most valuable takeaways from "Grit" are the understanding that every effort counts doubly toward your goals and the learnability of grit regardless of IQ or circumstances, and the transformative power of the “Hard Thing Rule.” Pick up Grit for when you’re going through tough times, or—better yet—to prepare yourself for the inevitable tough times ahead.
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius
Meditations has lived on my bedside table for years. I’ve gone through two copies since college, and both are underlined and highlighted through and through. The wisdom in this book, and stoicism in general, has been supremely helpful in providing a framework to filter and assess daily life.
I especially enjoy that this isn’t a book, per se, but Marcus Aurelius’s journal, written over 19 years. You can feel him drilling these virtues into himself. Some lines are truly worth meditating over for the rest of your life.
I prefer the new translation by Gregory Hays because of its ease of reading, but you can check out other translations as well.
Which books have helped you learn to lead and live—like a great explorer or not? Which did I miss? Be sure to let me know.