Extreme

Book excerpt: Why do some people risk their lives regularly by placing themselves in extreme and challenging situations? For some, such as astronauts, the extreme environments are a requirement of the job. For others, they involve the thrill and competition of extreme sports, or the achievement of what seem like unimaginable goals to some - such as being the first to reach the South Pole or climb Mount Everest. Whether for sport or a career, these people have made the personal choice to put themselves in places where there is a significant risk. What drives such people? What skills and personality traits enable the best to succeed? Does a successful mountaineer, astronaut, and cave explorer share the same abilities? Are there lessons the rest of us can learn from them? In Extreme, Emma Barrett and Paul Martin explore the challenges that people in extreme environments face, including pain, physical hardship, loneliness, disagreements, and the approaches taken to overcome them. Using many fascinating examples and personal accounts, they take a close look at the psychological impact on those who face these challenges, the traits that enable some people to succeed, and what we can take away from their experiences.