It’s so easy just to work for recognition. If your efforts get overlooked or your project doesn’t quite turn out the way you planned, it’s easy to think that you have wasted your time.
It’s especially easy to think this way as a leader who has a great deal of responsibility and resources. But Earnest Shackleton didn’t let unfortunate – even life-threatening – circumstances stop him.
A video produced by The High Calling documents Shackleton’s “failed” mission to the Antarctic. While he and his crew of twenty-seven men hoped to be the first to really explore this desolate and mysterious land, their ship became trapped—and was gradually crushed—in the ice.
The men had to abandon their ship and their mission, and yet we remember Shackleton’s story. Why? He embarked on an epic journey in a lifeboat to get help in rescuing the rest of his crew. He was tenacious in his leadership even in the worst of times. The video explains:
Ernest Shackleton failed in one historic mission, but the legend of his serving leadership lives on. It’s the high calling of our daily work.
As we go about our work, are we looking to promote ourselves or serve others? How do we react when our projects don’t go as planned? Can we be successful in serving God through our work, even when we fail by our earthly standards?
Watch Shackleton’s story, and explore how God views success through IFWE’s blog and webinar on the biblical meaning of success.
