Lewis & Clark’s Happiest Moment
Two hundred years ago this month, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Corps of Discovery were preparing to depart from Fort Mandan on the second—and most difficult—leg of their extraordinary 28 month journey across America. It was a historic moment because as Lewis gazed west, he realized that from this point forward their map was, quite literally, blank.
Meriwether Lewis captured the moment in his journal by noting that “we were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width … the good or evil it had in store for use was for experiment yet to determine.” He then added “I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life.” It is a wonderful quote because—for although Lewis was about to step into unknown—he was not frightened or nervous, he was happy!
Lewis’ statement, however, is more than just a notable quote. It is, as they say, “a teachable moment.” As America continues its two-year long bicentennial celebration of the Journey of Discovery, it is worth reflecting on Lewis and Clark’s willingness to embrace the unknown because of what it shows us about being a leader today.
Just as every new day after leaving Fort Mandan seemed to bring the Corps of Discovery a new challenge—be it grizzly bears, snow-capped mountains or wild, raging, rivers—the 21st century is no less daunting. New advances in biotechnology, stem cell research, quantum physics, and nanotechnology threaten to overturn well-established industries, challenge long-held assumptions and are pushing today’s leaders to confront the future.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of such dramatic change, but as Lewis and Clark so ably demonstrated, success is often as much a matter of attitude as anything else. In the same journal entry, Lewis wrote that when his “imagination … suffered to wander into futurity,” he had the “most confident hope of succeeding.” And it is this confident approach toward the future that today’s leaders must emulate.
The origin of the two captain’s willingness to embrace the future is not known, but I’d like to believe their optimism stemmed from the fact that they realized that they were not just discovering the future, they were creating it. In the process of doing so—-by continuing their assault up the Missouri River, over the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountains, down the Columbia River and onward the Pacific—-Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery did more than just fill in the American map, they blazed the trail for the generation of American pioneers settled the western portion of America.
And it is in this same spirit that today’s explorers and pioneers—-be they in business, politics, education or any other numbers of fields—-must also embrace the future. If they do, I suspect, that like Meriwether Lewis, they will but esteem this moment in history as among the most happy of their lives.
Meriwether Lewis captured the moment in his journal by noting that “we were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width … the good or evil it had in store for use was for experiment yet to determine.” He then added “I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life.” It is a wonderful quote because—for although Lewis was about to step into unknown—he was not frightened or nervous, he was happy!
Lewis’ statement, however, is more than just a notable quote. It is, as they say, “a teachable moment.” As America continues its two-year long bicentennial celebration of the Journey of Discovery, it is worth reflecting on Lewis and Clark’s willingness to embrace the unknown because of what it shows us about being a leader today.
Just as every new day after leaving Fort Mandan seemed to bring the Corps of Discovery a new challenge—be it grizzly bears, snow-capped mountains or wild, raging, rivers—the 21st century is no less daunting. New advances in biotechnology, stem cell research, quantum physics, and nanotechnology threaten to overturn well-established industries, challenge long-held assumptions and are pushing today’s leaders to confront the future.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed in the face of such dramatic change, but as Lewis and Clark so ably demonstrated, success is often as much a matter of attitude as anything else. In the same journal entry, Lewis wrote that when his “imagination … suffered to wander into futurity,” he had the “most confident hope of succeeding.” And it is this confident approach toward the future that today’s leaders must emulate.
The origin of the two captain’s willingness to embrace the future is not known, but I’d like to believe their optimism stemmed from the fact that they realized that they were not just discovering the future, they were creating it. In the process of doing so—-by continuing their assault up the Missouri River, over the Continental Divide and the Rocky Mountains, down the Columbia River and onward the Pacific—-Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery did more than just fill in the American map, they blazed the trail for the generation of American pioneers settled the western portion of America.
And it is in this same spirit that today’s explorers and pioneers—-be they in business, politics, education or any other numbers of fields—-must also embrace the future. If they do, I suspect, that like Meriwether Lewis, they will but esteem this moment in history as among the most happy of their lives.
posted by Jack at 8:34 AM
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