A Story of Guts and Determination

The Story of Steven Callahan

Steven Callahan is a incredible man, he is a sailor and most known for having endured seventy-six days adrift on the Atlantic Ocean in a life raft.

It was in 1982, Steven Callahan was crossing the Atlantic Ocean in his sailboat when it hit something and sank. He was way out of any shipping lanes and floating in a life raft, all alone. He barely had any supplies and his chances weren’t good. Nevertheless when three fishermen found him seventy-six days later (the longest any person has survived a shipwreck on a life raft alone), he was alive - a great deal skinnier than he was when he started, but he was alive.

The story of how he survived is really quite remarkable. His will to live was so strong - after exhausting the inadequate food supplies he was able to rescue from the sinking boat, Steven Callahan survived by eating mahi-mahi and triggerfish that he speared, along with flying fish, barnacles, and birds which all followed him across the ocean. He also fixed his solar still (a device that allows the distilling of water, powered by the heat of the sun).

The most extraordinary part of his story is how he stayed alive even when all hope appeared to be gone and there seemed no reason to continue with the fight to stay alive. He was suffering, his life raft was deflating and after more than seven days of struggling to repair it with his tired and weak body, it was still leaking air. He was starved and badly dehydrated. He was thoroughly exhausted. Quitting would have seemed to be the only reasonable option. But amazingly when humans survive these sorts of conditions, something powerful happens in their minds, allowing us to muster up the guts to carry on. Many people though in similar hopeless situations either quit in or go insane. Something survivors do with their minds gives them the courage to keep trying regardless of overwhelming odds.

Steven Callahan wrote in his book "I tell myself I can handle it," “Compared to what others have been through, I'm fortunate” He told himself this over and over, building up fortitude....

So what can we learn from this story?

This story, gives us words that provide us with strength. Whatever you're going through, tell yourself “I can handle it, compared to what others have been through, I’m more than fortunate” In hard times, tell yourself this again and again, and it will assist you to get through the tough times with more guts, strength and determination. Most importantly, you’ll come out the other side a better person.

We've all read the history books to know that we are lucky to be where we are, when we are, no matter how bad it seems to us compared to our desired situation. It’s also worth noting that anything bad that you are going through, gives you the desire or dream to have something better. Without this contrasting experience we wouldn’t know what we want in Life. We wouldn’t have these dreams we’re working for.

What else can you learn from this story? Sit down for a few moments and contemplate.