Remaining True to Our Goals

On Dec. 14, 1911, Norwegian explorer Roald Amundsen (1872–1928) led the first successful expedition to the South Pole. Amundsen had originally hoped to become the first to reach the North Pole, but amid his preparations, he received the news that an American explorer had beat him to it.

As his dream evaporated before his eyes, Amundsen immediately changed course and resolved to go to the South Pole instead. Not only did he become the first to reach the South Pole, Amundsen also set his sights further by flying across the Arctic Sea 15 years later to explore the North Pole. He became the first person in history to reach both poles.

Ikeda Sensei says of this: “Instead of becoming discouraged by setbacks or changes in our circumstances, we need to lift ourselves up and take on new challenges with even greater energy. The important thing is that we remain true to the goal we have pledged to achieve, that we burn with ever-brighter fighting spirit to win in the the end” (April 5, 2013, World Tribune, p. 3).