Think of a leadership trait we could use across various situations. If you said, “tolerance for adversity and uncertainty,” give yourself a point! This essential practice is a cornerstone of the Adventure Education (AE) Department’s leadership curriculum with broad applicability. Through reading, lectures, and hands-on experience, students learn, practice, and master this crucial awareness while pursuing their AE degree.
From subjective hazards like fatigue and dehydration brought by people to situations to more objective hazards, like the hydraulics and side waves we find along our way, we’re constantly evaluating conditions and choosing our lines. Some of life’s rapids inspire us to narrow our focus and discover a sense of flow, but others surprise us with their difficulty and leave us perched someplace we did not expect. What’s an adventurer to do?
Eddying out into simple patterns and predictable outcomes relaxes the mind and gives us a sense of control. But sometimes, even the flat-water stretches of our routines bring a degree of uncertainty. Engaging with extraordinary situations lets us leverage our skills and cozy up to uncertainty entirely. In these moments, we can genuinely engage our creativity, embrace the unexpected and forge new approaches.
Understanding and practicing the traits of survivors supports this effort. Orienting towards possibilities, maintaining a positive attitude, and believing that we can affect the outcome of any situation helps keep our oars in the water. These beliefs (and others) have increased the chances of successfully weathering life-threatening situations.
The past years have brought more opportunities for tolerating adversity and uncertainty than even the most adventurous might enjoy. By no means have these been equally distributed or experienced across populations; some have weathered more numerous and violent storms than others, though we’ve all had to learn new skills (sometimes in the very moment we’re using them), pivot to avoid dangerous obstacles and accept that our most carefully made plans can flip in an instant. While much has been lost to the torrent, we’ve all developed new practices along the way.
We can be sure that as soon as this float trip ends and its challenges become the stuff of stories, we’ll be launching on our next adventure. From the backcountry to the boardroom, tolerating adversity and uncertainty is essential. It’s an ability that informs our awareness, approach, and orientation, helping us stay afloat through the toughest of times.
This spring, many AE students will practice this talent in the field during their coursework as others get ready to graduate, going on to manage and design programs, work as educators, and lead trips in various settings. All these endeavors indeed benefit from their ability to understand how to evaluate hazards, manage risks and stay rigged for whatever conditions they encounter.
Eli is a Lecturer of Adventure Education at FLC with expertise in mindful leadership, expedition planning and leadership, and tons of experience leading others in finding the personal and interpersonal benefits of exploring wild spaces.