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The Eighth Summit
What does it take to row 5,500km across an ocean?
Or to trek 500 miles through Antarctica?
How do we achieve incredible things?
Peter van Kets has done this and more, and yet he could be the average guy next door. A teacher in East London with a fondness for the ocean, Peter was given a rare chance to compete in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race. His decision to grasp this opportunity would change his life.
Together with Bill Godfrey, he rowed across the Atlantic and won against the odds. Then he came back two years later to row it alone, a truly epic feat. After that he joined forces with adventure runner Braam Malherbe to represent South Africa in the unique Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole, one of the most gruelling endurance events ever staged.
Peter's feats of endurance in the face of endless ice, snow and saltwater are testament to the power of the human spirit and the greatness possible when an ordinary person sets out to do extraordinary things. In rowing the Atlantic and trekking the Antarctic, he has come to understand what it takes to conquer the limits of your mind. To conquer your Eighth Summit.
Or to trek 500 miles through Antarctica?
How do we achieve incredible things?
Peter van Kets has done this and more, and yet he could be the average guy next door. A teacher in East London with a fondness for the ocean, Peter was given a rare chance to compete in the 2007 Atlantic Rowing Race. His decision to grasp this opportunity would change his life.
Together with Bill Godfrey, he rowed across the Atlantic and won against the odds. Then he came back two years later to row it alone, a truly epic feat. After that he joined forces with adventure runner Braam Malherbe to represent South Africa in the unique Scott-Amundsen Centenary Race to the South Pole, one of the most gruelling endurance events ever staged.
Peter's feats of endurance in the face of endless ice, snow and saltwater are testament to the power of the human spirit and the greatness possible when an ordinary person sets out to do extraordinary things. In rowing the Atlantic and trekking the Antarctic, he has come to understand what it takes to conquer the limits of your mind. To conquer your Eighth Summit.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 19, 2014
10 people are currently reading
39 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 30, 2018
Adventurer Peter Van Kets’ inspiring story and the techniques he adopted in order to complete three gruelling physical feats - rowing across the Atlantic (twice) and skiing to the South Pole. Most of the techniques were psychological and relate to targeting success elsewhere in life wherever challenges present themselves. An easy and undemanding read. Likely enjoyable for those who enjoy adventure and self-improvement techniques. The style wasn't horrific but it's not a masterpiece either.
Caring, Commitment and Positivity
Before his pairs rowing expedition he and his partner promised each other two things: 1) that they would look after each other more than they looked after themselves and 2) that they would prepare to win.
In high-stress conditions, people can become insular and selfish yet they don’t necessarily take very good care of themselves because they can become so consumed by the problem at hand. Actively deciding to care for the other person more than oneself creates a much more powerful partnership, where each person is honestly depending on the other for survival and is a concept that relates to all important life partnerships – a degree of selflessness is required.
So many people fail to strive for their goals because they are paralysed by the fear of failure. Deciding to win creates a self-reinforcing cycle of positivity and confidence where it becomes easier to suppress the fear of failure.
Routine, rewards and delayed gratification
During his solo race across the Atlantic (against a limited number of similarly nut-cased contestants), Peter rowed in alternating 90-minute rowing and 90-minute rest intervals for 76 days. This is incredibly monotonous and boring. Routine was, however, critical in order for him to achieve his goal. Chunking the race allowed him to create manageable sections and sticking to the routine created daily confidence that the final goal will be achieved if one merely takes the same steps again. Peter refused to sleep late at almost any stage in case complacency set in, which may have lessened his resolve. In order to persist with his monotonous journey, Peter earmarked rewards and delayed gratification by revelling in these rewards after difficult shifts. The rewards were usually something as insignificant as a snack but reinforcing the psychological association between effort and delayed gratification was powerful.
Dedications dissolve self-pity
Another method to scale the personal self-pity and physical pain of difficult challenges were dedications. Peter used to dedicate his daily efforts to a loved family member or friend, calling them via his satellite phone before the shift to tell them why he respected them and that he would be rowing for them for the next session/day. The conversations were often quite emotional and profound, leaving Peter with powerful motivation for the sessions to come as well as a distraction from his continual pain and exhaustion.
Caring, Commitment and Positivity
Before his pairs rowing expedition he and his partner promised each other two things: 1) that they would look after each other more than they looked after themselves and 2) that they would prepare to win.
In high-stress conditions, people can become insular and selfish yet they don’t necessarily take very good care of themselves because they can become so consumed by the problem at hand. Actively deciding to care for the other person more than oneself creates a much more powerful partnership, where each person is honestly depending on the other for survival and is a concept that relates to all important life partnerships – a degree of selflessness is required.
So many people fail to strive for their goals because they are paralysed by the fear of failure. Deciding to win creates a self-reinforcing cycle of positivity and confidence where it becomes easier to suppress the fear of failure.
Routine, rewards and delayed gratification
During his solo race across the Atlantic (against a limited number of similarly nut-cased contestants), Peter rowed in alternating 90-minute rowing and 90-minute rest intervals for 76 days. This is incredibly monotonous and boring. Routine was, however, critical in order for him to achieve his goal. Chunking the race allowed him to create manageable sections and sticking to the routine created daily confidence that the final goal will be achieved if one merely takes the same steps again. Peter refused to sleep late at almost any stage in case complacency set in, which may have lessened his resolve. In order to persist with his monotonous journey, Peter earmarked rewards and delayed gratification by revelling in these rewards after difficult shifts. The rewards were usually something as insignificant as a snack but reinforcing the psychological association between effort and delayed gratification was powerful.
Dedications dissolve self-pity
Another method to scale the personal self-pity and physical pain of difficult challenges were dedications. Peter used to dedicate his daily efforts to a loved family member or friend, calling them via his satellite phone before the shift to tell them why he respected them and that he would be rowing for them for the next session/day. The conversations were often quite emotional and profound, leaving Peter with powerful motivation for the sessions to come as well as a distraction from his continual pain and exhaustion.
September 15, 2017
Adventurers aren't cut of the same cloth as us mortals.
Eighth summit is Peter van Kets' memoirs on some of his expeditions.
Here's a guy that together with a teammate, rowed (as in with oars) across the Atlantic (some 5500km's) unassisted. They achieved this by rowing non stop for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for approx 55days. While one rested the other would row and vice Versa.
As if that wasn't hard enough he returned to do it again giving it a solo attempt
Later he took part in race across Antarctica to the South Pole - 800km's + of trekking through extreme weather.
Eighth summit is an easy, inspiring read.
Eighth summit is Peter van Kets' memoirs on some of his expeditions.
Here's a guy that together with a teammate, rowed (as in with oars) across the Atlantic (some 5500km's) unassisted. They achieved this by rowing non stop for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for approx 55days. While one rested the other would row and vice Versa.
As if that wasn't hard enough he returned to do it again giving it a solo attempt
Later he took part in race across Antarctica to the South Pole - 800km's + of trekking through extreme weather.
Eighth summit is an easy, inspiring read.
November 26, 2018
Loved this book! Unlike so many explorer / adventurer talks I've heard over the years, Peter VanKets' message emphasizes the importance of caring for one's partner & building a strong, supportive team more than most. His feat of solo-rowing across the Atlantic is unbelievable- as is his race to the South Pole. At the end of each chapter VanKets shares insights on how aspects of each expedition can be applied to daily life, goal-setting, achievement, and the business world. This is an engrossing, fast read with great photo insets, too.
December 23, 2021
Inspiring.
May 4, 2015
Fascinating tale of endurance athlete's accomplishments - he rowed across the Atlantic TWICE, once with a partner, second time around was solo.Kets' message is "you can accomplish anything you choose to put your mind to". Amazing story.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews