Lost & Found: Why we need adventure

by Paul J. Watkins

In early 2017 Paul Watkins, a nerdy, bespectacled, father of two from a country town, took on one of the toughest races on the planet, the 6633 Arctic Ultra - a 583-kilometre unsupported solo race deep into the Arctic Circle. Four days in - frozen, hallucinating, broken and bewildered - Paul withdrew from the race, barely half way to the finish line. Two years later Paul returned to the Arctic. To face some demons and resolve unfinished business. Beyond the story of how this gruelling race unfolded - of pushing virtually non-stop for eight days in temperatures of -40c under the magnificent northern lights - this book details the lessons learnt along the way. How we deal with 'failure', why motivation doesn't equal discipline and how we let society undervalue us. Come on a wild adventure and discover how to find your own.

294 pages, Paperback

Published May 12, 2021

Reviews

[Amanda Foy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am at a phase of my life where I trust and believe that a book will come into my life at the right moment. I grabbed this book, for an Easter read, which was recommended to me for the reason of the writing style. I started reading it and was instantly hooked. I haven't demolished a book in two days in years. I also thought at first this was written for men, but it's not. It's written for anyone with a dysfunctional relationship with failure. I can promise too, this is not an anecdotal, every failure is a lesson. It's way deeper than that, even though the book has lesson messages. Paul is an exciting writer with a nice little bit of humour. Whatever you want to define as an adventure, this book will help you.

[Matthew · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gripping tale

I ‘know’ Paul Watkins from his LinkedIn posts. Funny. Irreverent and insightful. I’ve heard his interviews on podcasts where he talks about anti-fragility and resilience. But nothing beats the reading the book to understand the heartache and mental anguish of how his lessons, insights and wisdom have been formed at temperatures so low it makes you shiver thinking about them. Great read.

[Ally Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

An awesome telling of hard work and adventure and the lessons learnt along the way that can - and should- be applied to everyday life. Incredibly inspiring!