From Antarctic Ice to Unbreakable Mindset: The Power of Positive Thinking

Paris Norriss
Aug 18
4 min read

Picture this: I'm standing in -15°C Antarctica, not a bit of skin showing, about to run a marathon on blue ice that stretches endlessly in every direction. The only landmark? The Soviet Alyushin 76 cargo plane that dropped us here.

Here's the kicker – I'm not an experienced marathon runner. After my first marathon left me unable to walk for seven days, I swore I'd never run another. Yet here I was, embarking on seven marathons across seven continents with the aim to complete in seven days.

Starting off in the freezing desolate Antarctica, we'll head to the hot and populous Cape Town, then Perth, Dubai, Madrid, Foraleza (Brazil) and finally Miami.

What on Earth have I got myself into?

The Penguin That Changed Everything

Early into the Antarctic marathon, I met someone extraordinary: 23-year-old Wyatt Moss, dressed as a penguin and taking on the same challenge. This wasn't just any runner – he'd completed 50 marathons in 50 states over 50 weeks the previous year. While I wore my Bubba Gump shrimp hat, I realized I was running alongside the real Forrest Gump.

After completing the Antarctic marathon (barely!), we had less than two hours before boarding that Soviet cargo plane to Cape Town for marathon number two, just 15 hours later.

The Four Words That Shifted Everything

Standing at the Cape Town start line, my legs screaming in pain, I turned to Wyatt and said, "My legs are killing me."

His response? Three simple words: "No, they don't."

In that moment, this 23-year-old, with 49 more marathons under his belt than me, delivered a profound truth: It's all in your mind. It's your choice how you control your thoughts.

This simple principal became a useful tool for these marathons, but it's pretty universal. How could it apply to emotional relationship barriers? Fears in your professional life? The general way we look at what we can achieve?

Fun Fact: Research shows that positive visualization can improve athletic performance by up to 23%. Elite athletes regularly use mental imagery to enhance their physical capabilities.

The Science Behind It: Studies show that our brains process negative thoughts 5x faster than positive ones, but here's the game-changer – neuroplasticity research proves we can literally rewire our brains through conscious thought patterns. The average person has 60,000-80,000 thoughts per day, and changing just 10% to positive can dramatically impact performance.

From Realistic to Limiting

I realized something crucial: I'm generally a positive person, but I was masquerading negativity as "being realistic" based on past experience. When we're inexperienced, we're naively optimistic. But once we know how difficult something truly is, experience can dampen our belief instead of empowering it.

By marathon six in Brazil, I was bouncing at the 4 AM start line. A day later, we completed all seven marathons across seven continents in just 5 days and 21 hours!

Mindset Fact: According to Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck's research, people with a "growth mindset" (believing abilities can be developed) achieve 47% better results than those with a "fixed mindset."

The final marathon in Miami. Completing all 7 marathons on 7 continents in 5 days and 21 hours.

The Mindset Transformation Toolkit

Here's how to build an unbreakable positive mindset:

1. Catch Your Negative Self-Talk: Notice when you switch from positive to "realistic" (often just disguised negativity). Others might point this out too – listen to them.

Research Insight: It takes just 17 seconds of focusing on negative thoughts to activate the stress hormone cortisol, but positive affirmations can counteract this in as little as 30 seconds.

2. Dig Deep Into Your Triggers: Identify what past events created your limiting beliefs. These often stem from emotional situations that have created mental barriers.

3. Reroute Your Thoughts: Sometimes self-coaching works. Sometimes you need positive people around you (Just like Wyatt, their energy is infectious! ). For deeply rooted beliefs, professional help from psychologists or therapists can be transformative.

Brain Fact: Mirror neurons in our brains mean we literally "catch" emotions from others. Surrounding yourself with positive people isn't just motivational advice – it's neuroscience!

4. Face Your Fears with Action: Only through positive reinforcement of actually doing something can your mindset truly change. What starts in your mind changes your reality, which then reinforces the positive feedback loop.

The Adventure Advantage

Throughout my career as an adventure TV host – learning skydiving, paramotoring, free diving, high-altitude rope access – I've developed systems for facing fears and managing thoughts. I'm living proof that any person can learn just about anything.

Performance Fact: Athletes who practice positive self-talk improve their performance by an average of 15-20% compared to those who don't.

Your Challenge

The mind is the most powerful tool we have. Whether you're facing a marathon, a career change, or any daunting challenge, remember: your thoughts become your reality.

What limiting beliefs are holding you back? What would you attempt if you knew you couldn't fail?

Drop a comment below – what challenges are you facing, and how are you working to overcome those mental barriers? Let's build a community of positive mindset warriors!

Remember: The only difference between "I can't" and "I can" is often just three letters and a shift in mindset. Choose wisely.