On May 28, 2002, we reached the North Pole. It was the final goal of our bi-polar journey stretching over 150 days and the earth's farthest points. Greater than the victory, the ice taught us lessons to carry with us into our life. This was the message:
We didn't manage to even reach the South Pole the first time. But we never lowered our goal. Our final success was so much greater in the face of it.
We wouldn't have made it without the aid of polar veterans, and they in turn learned from veterans before them. Every true success is a mankind joint venture.
In the short run, dropping food and fuel increased our speed. In the long run, it killed our expedition. Don't undercut your survival.
Hiding out in a tent waiting for the sunny days steals crucial time. A storm always looks the worst from inside the tent. Face the storm.
Get out there, every single day. There are so many reasons not to: Repairs badly needed, fog and whiteout. The winner moves when the others rest.
In temperatures of -50C, we wore only thin layers of clothing. In this situation, to stop was to die. When times are rough and you are the underdog, keep running.
Skiing thin ice commands swift and determined steps. Too much doubt in times of pressure kills the power of action. Don't think, just go.
If you want to reach the impossible then you must continue where others stop. Tear down walls with your bare hands, crawl on your knees. But never stop.
We asked Polar veterans for their single, most important advice. Out of their advice, one turned the most important to us: “Say only positive things to each other.
Faced with the facts, we could not believe in our success. Yet it arrived. You don't have to believe in success. Just do the right things. And go.