The average temperature in Antarctica is -25 degrees Celsius. A light breeze makes a significant impact on windchill. It’s an environment like no other. The kind of environment where the threat of death is a reality on a daily basis. However, as with any harsh environment (yours included), the elements can be overcome.

Stop acting like a victim
Before you do anything about mastering your environment, you have to get rid of your victim mentality. We all have it to some degree. It’s that voice that tells you it’s not your fault that you aren’t living your dream or meeting your life goals. It’s that part of you that wants to blame your lack of accomplishment on your environment.

It seems to be hard-wired into people to blame other things. We do this so we don’t have to blame ourselves. If we can accuse our restrictive job, or our family responsibilities for our lack of goal achieving, then we don’t have to blame ourselves, right?

Well, I’m going to let you in on a secret. If I had let the victim mentality control me, I would never have been able to accomplish what I have so far. 

Now, I’ll be the first to admit that there are circumstances that are out of our control. Sometimes a weather system moves in over the mountain and the climb is just not possible. What I’m talking about though is acting like a victim of those circumstances rather than controlling what you can to still make your goals a reality despite the circumstances.

When the storm hits your mountain, are you going to walk away and give up, or are you going to control what you can (like waiting out the storm to continue the climb).

It’s impossible to hold back the storm and unwise to forge ahead in spite of the storm, but if you maintain a positive attitude, your creativity kicks in and helps you figure out a way to accomplish your goals regardless of the environment you’re in.

Wendy Booker could not control the fact that multiple sclerosis attacked her body, but there was a lot she could control including her activity level. She remained active, refusing to let the disease put her in a wheelchair. She set her sights on scaling the highest peaks. She’s doing that and still learning to control only the things she can control as this quote from her blog shows:

Her 2009 expedition to Mt. Everest did not end in a summit - this time the mountain won. But not to be deterred, Wendy is preparing to go back for Round 2 in the spring of 2010.

Get rid of that victim mentality. It’s just holding you back. Control what you can, and, above all, keep your goals firmly in front of you. Do that, and you’ll arrive at the summit.