Endurance - Part I, Chapter 6

This chapter brings about the triumph of the group over the great standstill they were enduring.  The Endurance had been stagnant for over six months, moving very little if at all.  After great ice pressure and many harsh winter storms, a large crack appeared in the ice.  This was the precise window the crew needed.  They all manned their stations and finally were able to resume their travels.  However, in true leading fashion, Shackleton did not let this victory go to the heads of his men.  To get his point across, he told the parable of an overzealous mouse mustering up his liquid courage and and confidently saying "where's that damned cat?" (50)  By saying this, he was telling his crew not to get ahead of themselves.  One small victory like this means very little in the long run.  His views on success are just as relevant today, in my opinion.  I'll use the 2008 Super Bowl runner-up New England Patriots as an example.  They had the perfect regular season.  They seemed unstoppable.  However, they came up one game short of NFL immortality.  In the end, it was all because their success went to their heads and they lost sight of the real goal.  Shackleton knew that if this happened on his ship, the consequences would be much worse than a simple mark in the loss column.