Endurance Part 2

Finally!..This book picks up some speed...Shackleton hardly sleeps, he is still extremely motivated and a bit neurotic when it comes to control and order.  He seems to use up all he has left mentally, physically and emotionally but still has the strength to carry on and be the driving force of motivation on this expedition.  What amazes me the most is that the crew is all the same way when it comes to motivation and determination.  The thoughts that must be running through their minds but yet they still are almost,  serene like, as I read into it.  Even as we get to the end of part 2 and the floes were heavy with water and they literally were trapped , Shackleton ends the night with an optimistic and what I feel was upbeat feeling about the near future.

I have found the first couple of classes to be interesting. The topic of motivation is something any human can relate to. Each of the psychologist's theories apply to our everyday functioning. It's also appealing in that we're learning about the driving forces behind why humans do what we do, and what we do to survive.

I just received my Endurance book not too long ago. I just got finish with part one and so far , this book has a hard time keeping my attention. Shackleton seems to be a very motivated and he keep the seamen focus. At times, some of the things he tell them are lies. For example, some of the places he tells them they are are way off. Most of the times, Shackleton does not know where he is. I hope as I get further along, the book gets better.

Endurance

My first reactions Endurance Shackleton's Incredible Voyage may not have been what Professor Berg had in mind. It was difficult for me to “get into” but eventually after the first few chapters, the book picks up and becomes exciting. I was surprised how motivated the loyal crew pushed to save their devoted ship. The immense detail regarding their courage and strive was outstanding. Shackleton’s positive outlook seems to be the driving force of the men. I feel he is a very dynamic character of the book because of his love for money and success with his drive to support his wife.  I greatly enjoy the facts and the knowledge that were put into the book which makes it sensational. It gives the reader a chance to feel the pain and joy of their voyage and the hardships ahead. I have a feeling these men will be pushed not only physically but also mentally and Shackleton will be the factor of question: Will he be able to keep his men composed? The inspiration of the men, the ship and their leader will be the true story of motivation.

Endurance: Part 1 Post

The first section of the book wasn't as interesting as I was hoping it would be.  I thought that the book seemed to move extremely slow in the beginning.  I also found myself slightly confused by parts of the storyline and the terminology used as well.  I will say that it did seem to get a little more interesting later in section one after the voyage began and problems started to arise.  One of my favorite parts during the first section was when Shackleton sat down at table and said the following story : "Shackleton said there was once a mouse who lived in a tavern.  One night the mouse found a leaky barrel of beer, and he drank all he could hold.  When the mouse had finished, he sat up, twirled his whiskers, and looked around arrogantly. "Now, then," he said, "where's that damned cat?"  I found this to be pretty funny and it made me think of the saying that people use when they refer to someone as having "beer muscles." I liked the metaphor that was used in Chapter 3 that described the ship fighting against the ice.  "As Orde-Lees, the storekeeper, put it, "frozen, like an almond in the middle of a chocolate bar."  I also found it interesting how the author refers to the ship as if it is a human. I can tell already just how much this book is going to relate to motivation. Towards the end of part one the confidence of the men in their ship improved.  As Greenstreet recorded in his diary on September 1: "She is stronger than we thought, and providing we don't get much heavier pressure...we should pull through all right."  I'm sure the men on this voyage are going to face many more obstacles as the journey progresses, but I do predict that when all is said and done they will reach their destination and accomplish their goal.

Endurance and Motivation

At first the book Endurance Shackleton's Incredible Voyage was difficult for me to continue reading.  Although the imagery was very descriptive, it was a little too much to keep me interested in the story line.   I found it somewhat confusing because it was not in chronological order, which also contributed to my difficulty in following the story line.  I kept pushing through to find it got a little easier to read as it progressed.  As I was reading, I kept thinking of all the episodes of deadliest catch that I have watched and thinking about how difficult it is to be on a boat let alone when there are storms and bad conditions.  The ice cutting through the boat was described in such a way that it seemed as if it was the worst possible thing to be battled with while on a boat.  
I almost feel bad referring the the Endurance as a boat when they describe her so eloquently and human like as well as personifying her.  I enjoyed the introductions to all of the men on the boat as well as getting an idea of their roles in the whole process of evacuating the boat and got to see the motivation within each of the men.  I can absolutely see how the topic of motivation will run through this book.  As a little background was given on each of the men, I felt I could see what motivated each of them and was surprised to find that it varied. 

Endurance Post 1

I thought chapter one was very intense by the way Alfred Lansing used detail when talking about the ship. What I found most interesting was that Lansing personified the ship as an actual human, and throughout this whole chapter, he mainly focused on the ship. He talked about the ship’s emotions and how the “ice was trying to break her in half”. Lansing also describes the ship from when it first hit the ice all the way to it sinking. What I'm really looking forward to is finding out what happens to the men as they continue on with their voyage!

Endurance: Part 1

When I found out the book contained a true story about a ship voyage, I grew very excited to read it due to my love for the ocean, ships, and anything nautical. In most stories, you read about how people accomplish the goal that they were set out to do. But, I value this story for being different because although the Endurance had to be left behind, reading about the crew's experiences and their strong motivation to push forward really touches the reader. The book starts off by introducing Shackleton's type of personality, his past accomplishments, and future goals. His drive to accomplish these things are very admirable. I like that the crewmen were introduced by short interactions or interviews with Shackleton because most were explained not only by their skills, but by their humor and wittiness. This fact, I believe, is what helps the crew work so well together and to push through the hardships met in the book's chapters- not just their skills, but the motivation and the high spirits within them. 

What was interesting to me was how the author of the book and the crewmen in the story talked about the ship itself. It was referred to in a womanly aspect, and as its slow destruction was occurring, it was almost as if it was being explained like a human body on its death bed (the noises, the physical appearance, the way the crew was sad to she her go after trying hard to revive her, etc). 

I was also very impressed with how the crewmen worked together throughout the long laborious hours, the severe weather conditions, and the possible thoughts of no return. I believe this is where determination and motivation come into play. They are lead by a strong leader (Shackleton) but each one of the members gives something to the whole team, each has a part that drives them to their goal, which is now survival. I am really eager to continue on reading this book in order to see how the rest of their voyage goes!

Endurance Post # 1

As I was reading the first section of Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, I was in awe of the way the crew handled their situation. Despite the fact that everyone on the ship was aware that the ship was going to go down, they tried everything that was possible to save the ship, and not once did any one of them thought about quitting.  Their will and endurance was also apparent in the way they remained positive throughout the year when they were stuck. In addition, I also liked Lansing’s description of the ship. His syntax and imagery that give the ship lifelike qualities make the text all the more interesting. From what I read, Shackleton’s past experience shaped his motives and built his system of values. His behavior as he planned out the voyage was motivated by both internal and external factors. Internal factor, such as his love for adventure and external factors such as financial reward and the need to succeed pushed Shackleton toward going on the voyage.

 All in all, I feel that this book is relevant for our Motivation class because through their hardships, it is clear that the entire crew was motivated to make their situation better, and not only that, they also had a will to survive, which, obviously, in itself is a strong motivator. None of the crew members lost hope or show others any signs of stress, portraying how through their endurance, they give each other strength and the will to survive.   

    Enduarnce: Part I

        I must say that when I started reading this book I found it not only extremely boring but hard to get into. I literally fell asleep on two separate occasions in the first three chapters and was only awaken from a text and phone call respectively. However, after reading Part I and trying to put myself into the shoes of some of the men on this voyage, I completely understand why this book was chosen for the class “Motivation.” Before even embarking on this journey thousands of men knew the risk but wanted to be part of what they thought would be something special. They did not do this for the money which was meager at best and in most cases not even to be paid until they returned (if they did indeed return) but these men were motivated to be part of the first voyage across the Antarctic. With the technology at the time (or lack of I should say) this voyage was not only extremely dangerous, but could also be extremely maddening. They knew that they would have no contact with the outside world and could face life or death situations on a regular basis. As if this isn’t enough alone to drive some to insanity, they had to deal with the extreme cold, extremely rough waters, and to make matters worse, because of the unforeseen circumstances such as the water freezing around the boat they had to sit stagnant in one spot for months, working through all hours of the day to try and free the boat from the ice. I personally have always thought of myself as a mentally tough individual, but I do not know if I could ever embark on a journey like this no matter what is at stake. Not seeing the sun for weeks upon weeks would be enough alone to deter me from such a voyage, but to feel the boat being moved by such powerful forces, and see even stronger ones on the horizon, knowing that at any moment one can be your undoing, would drive me absolutely mad. Although it was obvious from some of the journal entries that the men were worried and had some thoughts of hysteria, it absolutely amazes me that the men were able to keep there composure through everything they have been through so far, especially knowing what still awaits them. This is clearly an example of people doing extraordinary things when they are driven by an incredible force: Motivation. 

Motivation and the First Leg of the Journey Across the Antarctic (Part One)

If you were to walk up to someone today and ask them about some of their aspirations you might be hard pressed to find someone who would respond with “Exploring and discovering the Antarctic!”.   However, I could be wrong, you might get this kind of response if you were, say, in a room full of scientists of some kind.  What is so amazing about Captain Shackleton is his insatiable lust for pushing across the Antarctic.  This is a truly motivated man, but what was his incentive?  What was it that drove him to raise the enormous amount of money needed and set out to do what no other man of his time could claim to have accomplished? 

Given the disposition of Shackleton we might be able to assume that he was a man who loved exploration and fulfilling a purpose.  His incentive could have simply have been to do what was not yet done on his prior expeditions to the Antarctic region.  We might be able to conclude that Shackleton’s motive was to fulfill a need deep within him, a psychological need; whereas, his incentive might accurately be described as the fame and prestige that would accompany a successful journey.  Shackleton called this voyage the “last great Polar journey that can be made.”  No one had yet crossed the expanse of out southernmost continent and so he planned to claim the last prize left.

Interestingly, the selection of his crew tells a lot about himself and the kind of group dynamic he envisioned.  In the first few chapters, Albert Lansing gives the reader a detailed profile about many of the men who joined Shackleton on his quest.  Many traits were similar among his crew.  For one, most of them jumped on board the expedition for the pure purpose of pursuing adventure.   The men, while experienced, also possessed a light-hearted streak and an overall good sense of humor.  Perhaps Shackleton wanted a team that was as motivated by challenge and adventure as he was.  As for their sense of humor and good-tempered dispositions, men who could see humor easily and take a task and job in a level-headed way was probably a good investment.  As the journey progresses, this amazing crew was able to entertain themselves and have a good laugh but at the flip of the switch fall in line to combat the worst of unexpected threats.  Given the desolation of the Antarctic and the constant potential for disaster, I do not think that Shackleton could have chosen two better personality traits.  Or maybe he sought a light-hearted that might be resistant to pessimism and worry - as evidenced by Shackleton's fears that their on-deck artist's moody and worrisome attitude might spread to the others.  What is even more interesting is that Shackleton rarely needed to interview a man for more than a few minutes, he just knew by talking to a fellow whether they would be a good addition to the crew.  He must have possessed some instinctual sense for bringing together men who would peacefully get along over the next year and change.  Despite diverse backgrounds and life experiences, these men became close and appreciated what they had in common.

I look forward to see how the men develop further as the situation becomes more and more severe.  By starting out with a general idea of what the men were like and how they behaved might provide some insight into what drove them to keep forging on in the face of imminent death.  

Endurance Part I

Endurance is the story of Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. It portrays the struggle of his crew as they try to survive the Antarctic winter after their ship is trapped and eventually crushed in pack ice. There are many instances in Part I where the theme of motivation is present. The men's strong senses of survival influence is evident in all of their actions. From attempting to saw through the pack ice to searching for the rare seal in mid-winter, the men never give up hope and continue to pull their resources in order to survive the harsh Antarctic. There is also the issue of surviving mentally and emotionally. All the while, they maintain a strong sense of brotherhood. With the stakes so high, it would be easy to succumb to depression, but the men maintain a light air through various celebrations and skit nights. I believe that it is this atmosphere and desire to bond that allowed the men to survive mentally and emotionally. Even when faced with the destruction of their beloved ship, the men fought off desperation and did what they had to do.

When Endurance was first assigned to us, I assumed that it would be a textbook featuring the psychology of motivation. I didn't expect to find a story with the themes of motivation interwoven into its chapters. I really enjoyed the first section of this book because it portrays human motivation in the context of a true story of struggle and hardships. I find this to be an interesting way to apply what we are learning to real life.

Endurance Post #1

      Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage begins by describing the crushing of the expedition ship.  There was a lot of detail on the history and backgrounds of the expedition.   The stage was set for the eventual outcome of losing Endurance.  It is not presented in a chronological order because then chapter two introduces Shackleton's personality, and how he shaped his crew for his adventure.  Spending a short time with each crewman he knew what he wanted to make this a guaranteed success.  He played a proud leadership role organizing the goal of the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition; this is what some said was too "audacious."  The plan seemed almost perfect on paper beside for finances.  There were difficulties obtaining sufficient funds due to finance being spent on warfare, although the journey was approved and proceeded. 
      Through hardships the voyage still continued. When times traveling less than thirty miles a day on average came one day after another the crew did not lose hope. They even celebrated Christmas with decorations, food, and music. Staying positive and in good spirits kept them motivated. Once ship was abandoned and the crew was nearly stranded the men fought through the freezing cold. Somehow they were able to make jokes with each other and even manage their hygiene. For the men who were not losing their minds they stayed close together. Having to hear the croaks of the buckling beams made thoughts run through the mens heads. “We'll none of us get back to our homes again.” For as motivated the men continued to stay there was no more denying the ship was gone.

Endurance Post #1

         Reading the beginning of this novel was overwhelming for me due to my lack of knowledge regarding ship/boat terminology. After learning the lingo and the main premise of the book, I began to understand how motivation plays a key role in this story in the novel. Throughout reading the first section, I attempted to pinpoint some motives and incentives. I came to the conclusion that social status/standing, financial rewards, and the thrill of exploring motivates Shackleton to this huge undertaking of an expedition. It was neat to read the journals of the actual passengers on the boat because getting that first hand perspective assists in seeing how motivated each and every one of them were during the whole expedition.

           My viewpoint of the novel completely was different after reading the whole first section. At first, I thought it lacked interesting material and was beyond confusing, but it turned into me having motivation to read on because I am very intrigued to see how they survive! I cannot imagine how many tests to their motivation are made and furthermore, how often the "pulling" and "pushing" of motivation occurs.

Post #1- Endurance part 1

I just finished part one of Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage. This book is more than appropriate for our class on motivation. Shackleton's ship sank leaving he and his crew to attempt to survive in the Antarctic. The will to live is the strongest motivation. On top of being motivated for his own life, Shackleton also has a duty to keep his men alive.
The first section just gave an overview of Shackleton's personality and his past sailing experiences. Lansing gives descriptions of all the crew members and why specifically Shackleton chose these men to stand by him. It was interesting how detailed Lansing went with the ship, Endurance. It painted a good image of how majestic the ship was before it sank. Most of the later chapters spoke about their journey before the collision. It was very intense when all the crew men tried to save the ship.
  As much as the book has an appropriate plot line for our class, I am finding it rather hard to concentrate on. The lack of chronological order keeps throwing me off. Another challenge I have is understanding most of the sailor jargon. I've never really been around boats so it's hard to follow some segments, but if anything I'm learning new vocabulary!

Endurance

Well, I finally got my book on Tuesday. I am only in chapter 3 so far. At first I noticed that the ship was personified as a women. I thought the set up was boring and weird. I then started to see where the book was going with the motivation.

I am going to be 30 in November and always wander how I will feel at age 40, if I dread 30. I wander if I will have much energy or motivation to live out dreams I never established. So when I read that Shackleton is in his 40's and planning this adventure, well that in itself is inspiring. I think that he had a strong passion in conquering his voyage which is one explanation for his motivation and all his preparation. it took him years to get enough funds together. The planning of this voyage alone would be discouraging and feel out of reach. He had enough motivation to make it happen. The word of war almost discouraged him and the replacing of some crew was an obstacle but he had to much motivation to even be discouraged by these problems. I will know more as I read the book further, but now I can understand why this book is our example.

Chapter 1 Endurance

Being an avid reader, I could not wait to start Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage.  I know this post is not to be a book review but I do hope the book picks up momentum soon.  I fould the beginning to move very slow and the storyline a tad confusing.  None the less, I found some key parts that I highlighted while struggling to read.

Shackleton was appraently the man of motivation.  From the quote on page 14, he was widely respected for his brazen leadership.
"For scientific leadership, give me Scott; for swift and efficient travel, Amundsen; but when you are in a hopeless siuation, when there seems no way out, get down on your knees and pray for Shackleton."

Besides his extreme ,daring disposition, he also had an unorthodox way of chosing newcomers for the expedition.  He thought qiuck and reacted even quicker.  He chose men by look and ha a keen sense of what could be.

Endurance

So far I have enjoyed the novel Endurance by Alfred Lansing. I was a bit confused when the book had started on what it had to do with motivation because honestly if I would be stuck in the middle of the Arctic after a very long, cold, and difficult journey I am not sure how much motivation I would personally have. But would the motivation of weather to die or live in the middle of the artic be enough to motivate a person to go ahead and make the journey to the end of the artic?

The book starts about how the men can just hear their shipped being crushed into pieces and I can just imagine myself in their shoes just crushing their hopes to making the journey across the artic. After getting the men, dogs, and essential supplies they realize they are out their alone and there is no one who knows where they are and or if they are in any trouble. So they are completely self-reliant in this situation. Which is what really fuels their motivation to make the journey across the artic and back to civilization.

The men try to use some comical relief on their journey to try and help lessen the tension of their journey. I believe this book is an excellent example of motivation because it is setting up on how they are going to pull together, pull resources and really find that drive inside themselves to successfully make their trip. How much does it take for a group of men to travel a couple hundred miles in a dry, uninhabited freezing desert?    

Endurance Part 1

                In reading Part 1 of Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage, I understand why it was chosen for a Motivation class. It is the story of Ernest Shackleton and his goal to cross Antarctica by foot. There have been men who have tried to accomplish this goal before Shackleton, but have failed. Shackleton is a leader and a survivor, and was very motivated to cross Antarctica by foot. Some would say that he was in it for financial rewards and social positions. Shackleton’s life dream, after all, “was to achieve a status of economic well- being that would last a lifetime.”

                Not only is Shackleton motivated to achieve his goal, but his crew is also very motivated. Many men have come out to be a part of Shackleton’s crew and only twenty eight were selected. Once on the ship, they realized they would have to face hardships, such as trying to get the Endurance freed when it got stuck in the ice. They were motivated in doing so because they knew the ocean was a big place and the chance of anyone coming to rescue them was unlikely. It was a do or die situation; they either tried breaking free or slowly froze to death.

                Shackleton and his crew kept their spirits up though through the hard times by playing pranks on one another. Some nights they dressed up and had karaoke, other times they had fake court trials where the judge was easily convinced by alcohol. They also had hockey games and every Saturday night they did a toast, to lift their spirits up and unwind from being stuck in the Arctic.

                At first, I didn’t really understand what was going on in the book, because I don’t know that many boating terms. However, I tried to relate it to my brother who is a commercial fisherman, because I took a tour of his boat and know his living arrangements are tight on the ship and he tells us he started reading to keep himself entertained while on the boat.

Post 1

I have not yet received Endurance from Amazon so I will speak about the lectures.  It is interesting to me to break down the steps that lead someone to be motivated, especially when you want to be motivated yourself to reach a specific goal.  For example, for a long time I had no motivation whether it was for school, exercising or even going out to look for a job.  However, as I got older I noticed that zero motivation had it's repercussions.  I was jobless, out of shape and not doing as well in classes as I could have.  I like that this class looks further into how we come to the point of wanting to be motivated.   

Although, since then I have come a long way.  I started to force myself to pay attention in class, knowing that the result would be worth it.  I began to eat right, healthier and I began to notice I was feeling much better.  I never stepped foot in a gym until I got to college and once I started going there was no stopping me.  I will admit there are times where my laziness sneaks back up and I will give myself an excuse to not do something but I usually make up for it.

I am very excited to see what else this class has in store for me.

Post 1

Hello Class,
As of now I am finding Endurance a bit hard to read in regards to my interest for it. I think that as the book progresses it will become more interesting because of the events that will take place, but because it is just starting off the details are boring me. I hope that the book becomes more suspenseful and that I learn more about the characters. Am I the only one who feels this way?

In terms of motivation, I am starting to understand or should I say, consider one's motivation for the actions taken more because of what we are learning about in class. The "push and pull", and one's one "values" are definitely more evident in terms of thier motivation to take the voyage then I think they would've with out my recent knowledge. When the book stated that Shackleton had a desire to provide for his wife's prior customs for wealth, and he had a disire for adventure I found that to be his motivation for wanting to take the voyage across Anartica. Overall, I think that Endurance will provide clear examples of motivation, and help us all understand the force behind one's desire to fulfull something important to them.

Christine Rossi

Motivation Post #1

When I first started Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing I was not sure how I felt about it. The beginning of the book pretty much put me to sleep but once I made it about halfway through the first section it began to draw me in. The book begins by introducing Endurance, a specially made ship intended for a trip to the Antarctic, its crew, and the events leading up to Sir Ernest Shackleton's Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Anyone who plans to complete a trans-Antarctic expedition must have both endurance and motivation. The men aboard the Endurance all have different personalities but it is these two key traits that keep the crew and ship up and running.

The Endurance makes it to only 60 nautical miles outside of its intended landfall before it is frozen in a patch of ice. While stuck in the ice, life on the ship does not cease to exist. The men are kept busy by hunting for food, training and caring for the dogs, retrieving necessary supplies, and all their duties associated with keeping the ship running. The fact that the men managed to stick together even during the hard times proved that Shackleton had done an excellent job picking his crew. One example of this is when the crew is left in complete darkness during a few months. Despite the lack of light, lack of warmth, and a diminishing food supply, the men stayed in good spirits. In fact, that experience even brought them together.  They often played games together, ate meals together, toasted the end of the day together, and even put on a show where some of them dressed as women. Another example of the crew’s high level of endurance and motivation is when the Endurance is attacked twice by ever mounting ice patches. During both attacks, the crew held it together and performed the necessary tasks without questioning and in good spirit. Numerous crew members wrote down in their diaries about the attacks and none of them ever sounded defeated. These were a determined group of men who would do anything in their power to keep their expedition going. When the Endurance is attacked for the third time the order to abandon ship is given. This is where the first section of the book ends. I am curious to see how the group holds together now that all they are left with is the harshness of the Antarctic.

Motivation #1

           I have not gotten the Endurance book yet so I will discuss the lectures. As an athletic playing soccer here at Stockton, motivation plays a huge role in my life. In order to train hard often, never give up, and continue towards my goals of being victorious when the time comes; I must be motivated. Regarding the push and pull theory, my motive is to train even when I do not want to, knowing that it will pay off in the long run. Those thoughts and realizations push me into action. The incentive is realizing that my hard work will result in winning games, receiving recognition, and being the best that I can be.

            I never really realized how necessary it was for individuals to have knowledge, competence, and motivation in order to be successful in doing something but it makes perfect sense. I do have experience when it comes to having a lack of physical energy. There are times when I am malnourished in some way or another and not only am I physically unable to do what I normally can but my brain and thoughts are delayed as well.

            I think that Locke’s theory or choice is very evident in many people’s lives. I see it most in the example of weight loss. If you want to lose 100 pounds and you have just started, the goal is going to seem really far away and not as easy to pursue. But say you are 10 pounds away from reaching your goal, your desire for the goal with be increased since it is right around the corner. 

motivation post 1

I still have not gotten my book so my post will be about the lectures. I agree with the lecture that we had on the first day of class, about the push and pull idea. it really made me look at things and realize that almost everything that is done in your everyday routine can be categorized under this idea. Especially the example about hunger and eating. Hunger is a motive which then the incentive would be to eat. Another good example of this push and pull idea could be going to class which would be the motive and the incentive would be to get a good job or a degree.

The second lecture was on a bunch of different people such as philosophers and psychologists and their ideas behind the issue of motivation. I really liked Hobbes' idea on "Approach pleasing, avoid displeasing stimuli" because I feel that, that is really true no body wants to be displeased so people will do whatever they can to avoid it and to lean towards something that is pleasing to them. I find that to be very true in things that I have done or seen people do before such as: someone not telling their parents that they got into a small car accident where there was barley an damage because they do not want to get yelled at. So in this example not telling their parents is leaning towards the pleasing part and getting in trouble would be the displeasing.

Motivation Post #1

I have not received my book yet from Amazon so my post will be about the lectures so far. In the first part of the lectures I definitely agree with the push and pull motives. I liked the example that you are pulled to get a college degree in order to gain pride in graduating and get a good job. The idea of the end results pull you and motivates you to start the journey of going to college.

            Locke’s theory about how if your goal is closer, you gain an increased desire for it. Such as if you are training for a competition the beginning of your training will be tough and tedious. Become almost like a pain. When your competition becomes near, you train even harder to make sure you are prepared for the competition, and reach your ultimate goal. The pressure of the competition upon you helps motivate you for that last push of training. 

Motivation: Post #1

In the book Endurance: Shackletons Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing caused me to think more about endurance. When I think of endurance, I think of something strong that has the ability to last or run for a long period of time. Endurance is a 144 foot long ship with a 25 foot tall beam. A strong ship like this is necessary to travel to the poles in weather that could get to below zero degrees. Unfortunately, Endurance was hit by an iceberg during one of Sir Ernest Shackletons Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. The men did a great job of getting the lifeboats off, the dogs off without having any of them fight, and returning back on the dangerous ship to bring more supplies like lumber back for all the men. This kind of expedition was not tried for another forty-three years. I personally don’t think I would be capable of doing this.

One of Shackletons external motives for wanting to be successful in this expedition is the financial reward. This caused him to put a crew together. There is no proof of him doing interviews for his crew, but he did meet them. I feel like he judged the individuals based on whether he liked their personality and if they would fit together with the crew. The whole idea of endurance plays a big role in this book because anyone who chooses to volunteer to go to the arctic needs endurance or some form of motivation to survive the trip. However, the money they would receive after the trip represented a reward for the volunteers. I feel this could be the pull the crew needs to reach their goal. At one point out at sea, they couldn’t break through the ice and got stuck. I enjoyed reading about what Worsley, one of the sea men, wrote in his diary. He said, “we must possess ourselves in patience till a Southerly gale occurs, or the ice opens of its own sweet will” (Lansing, 30). Patience is needed in situations like this, especially in places where, for parts of the year, it can become almost completely dark for most of the day. This could cause depression. However, for the Endurance crew, this caused them to become closer due to spending all their time together. They were smart travelers, feeding the dogs and themselves meat and fat during the freezing cold trip. The ship Endurance was very strong and made it through two attacks. Unfortunately, a pipe froze over and the ice grew onto Endurance. The path of water they were going to take froze over as well, weighing her down and keeping her stagnant. Wild, the second in command, took the orders from Shackleton and told Howe and Bakewell that it’s time to get off the ship. I hope they can survive and get through another difficulty to continue on their journey.

I am still waiting on my "Motivation" book to be delivered to my house so I cannot comment on the book. Motivation determines what many will get done within their day. For example, me myself, have to be motivated to go to school, work, and to come home and do my homework. I am able to complete these task because the incentive will be positive. By attending school , the positive reward will be me attaining a degree. The reward of me going to work is receiving a check biweekly. Lastly, doing homework will prepare me for quizzes, test, and exams resulting in me pasting the class. Without motivation everyone will be lazy.