Louis Zamperini is one of the most courageous and resilient men you’ll ever read about.

In 2014, the American prisoner of war survivor, Olympic track star, and subject of Lauren Hillenbrand’s New York Time’s bestselling book, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption, ran his most important race to date: completing the final draft of his second autobiography.

He was victorious, but he sadly passed away two days after its completion.

His book, Don’t Give Up, Don’t Give In: Lessons from an Extraordinary Life, is a distillation of his wisdom and secrets to living a happy, successful life. [1]

And it’s astonishing.

Here are my favourite quotes with my own personal insights.

Highlights

On forgiveness:

The hardest thing in life is to forgive. But hate is self-destructive. If you hate somebody you’re not hurting the person you hate, you’re hurting yourself. Forgiveness is healing.

Zamperini was subjected to years of abuse at the hands of Japanese prison guards and, most notoriously, Mutsuhiro “Bird” Watanabe.

But when he returned home, he found God and despite the hardships he’d endured, he forgave everyone – including the tyrannical Watanabe.

“If you cling to the axe you’re grinding”, writes Zamperini, “eventually you’ll only hurt yourself”.

You can dwell on memories of what others did (or failed to do) or you can forgive and forget. If Zamperini could do it, so can you.

On philosophy:

We all need a code of ethics to guide us, especially in tough times when everyone has to do their part for the greater good, for the family or the group to survive.

William B. Irvine also echoes the importance of having a code of ethics/philosophy in his book, A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy.

He writes:

Without [a philosophy], there is a danger that you will mislive – that despite all your activity, despite all the pleasant diversions you might have enjoyed while alive, you will end up living a bad life. [2]

If you don’t commit to the right things and let your values decide your behaviours, you’ll be distracted by the trivial many.

On mindset:

During the two-plus years I lived in Japanese prisoner-of-war camps, I noticed that the soldiers who suffered the most were the ones who wouldn’t accept their situations. Sometimes what we see as a loss turns out in the end to be a gain, and sometimes a gain is a loss. I try not to be too swift to pass judgment on any situation, preferring instead to be patient and take the long view because I believe that in the end all things work together for good. I decided to consider my incarceration as a challenge – like winning a race.

Life sometimes deals us a bad hand, one we have little control over. But what we do have control over, is our response to that hand. Change your response and you’ll change your outcome.

On overcoming obstacles:

You must have hope. It rejuvenates your whole being. You can’t allow negative thinking – even if you know your chances are slim. I’m not saying that it’s easy to do, but the ability to envision the road to successful completion is what keeps you alive.

Belief has the power to create and the power to destroy – so choose what you believe wisely. If you believe you can succeed, you’ll find references to support that belief. This is why having a growth mindset is everything. Your focus determines your reality.

On setting goals, persistence and perseverance:

It will be tough to amount to anything unless you commit to your goal and stay the course. You can’t give in to doubt. You can’t give in to pain. Never give up. If you want to be a champion you have to go after what you want tooth and nail. I didn’t know it then, but my persistence, perseverance, and unwillingness to accept defeat when things looked all but hopeless were part of the very character traits I would need to make it through World War II alive.

Eighty percent of success might be showing up – but you also have to do the work. If you want to achieve your goals, you must lean into resistance, take off your watch and measure what’s important. Keep going.

On process:

[Instead] of getting all caught up in asking why, I ask, what’s next? That’s all you have to know. Survival, in any situation, from the outdoors to the office, depends on education, preparation, and anticipation. You’ve got to think ahead. It will be tough to amount to anything unless you commit to your goal and stay the course. You can’t give in to doubt. You can’t give in to pain.

Asking, “what’s next?” reminds you that process is primary. Your “next play” is what moves you from where you are to where you want to be. Keep your eyes forward.

A Final Word

Louis Zamperini led a long and fulfilled life, one that reminds us it’s not what happens to us, but how we react to it that matters.

If you’re in pain, don’t give up, don’t give in.

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