{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"","standfirst":"Preet Chandi MBE, also known to her fans as @PolarPreet, holds four Guinness World Records for solo expeditions in the Antarctic. As she prepares for a new mission to cross 500 miles of sea ice and reach the North Pole, we caught up with her to find out what draws her to the cold and why mental resilience counts for so much.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat\u2019s the attraction of the poles for you?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI didn\u2019t know anything about them, so that\u2019s the attraction. People always ask me: \u2018Aren\u0027t you interested in doing things in the heat?\u2019 But that\u0027s all I used to do when I was in the Army. I\u2019d spent six months in Kenya, six months in South Sudan, and a short stint in Nepal. I\u0027d only ever done stuff in the heat. I was looking for a different challenge.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMy old boss just mentioned the South Pole. He\u0027s like, \u2018What about doing something in Antarctica?\u2019 That\u0027s the appeal, you know, to go and do something you don\u0027t know anything about.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/oc2dp1ev/preet-chandi-mbe-2.jpg","width":6560,"height":4928,"altText":"The image shows Preet Chandi MBE wearing an orange coat, black gloves and a hat, crouching down to take a selfie while standing on snow. There\u0027s a Union Jack flag in the ground behind her and a mirrored statue next to her on the left.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EHow did you get your start in the outdoors?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI wasn\u0027t in any adventure groups as a kid. We didn\u0027t do that kind of thing. My outdoor skills came from the military, which joined when I was 19. It was about doing something that was so different from what I knew.\u0026nbsp;\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EYour expeditions are usually solo and unsupported. Wouldn\u0027t the adventures be easier with some companions?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d done plenty of team-based exercises in the military, so I wanted to challenge myself by going solo. It\u2019s tough not having someone else to rely on, but that\u2019s part of the test. You must be completely self-sufficient.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve been on guided trips, and while they\u2019ve been great experiences, I didn\u2019t learn as much because I could just follow the guide\u2019s lead. It\u2019s easy to switch off when someone else is in charge.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EGoing solo was a way to push myself beyond what I was used to. It\u2019s incredible what you can adapt to. If something goes wrong, it\u2019s all on me. But that doesn\u2019t mean I do it alone. There\u2019s still a big team that helps me get to the start line.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat\u2019s the single biggest skill or characteristic you need when you\u0027re travelling solo and unsupported?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe ability to learn is really important. Some people think they already know everything and aren\u2019t open to new knowledge, and that mindset isn\u2019t helpful. I believe you can learn from everyone, even if it\u2019s just learning what not to do.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAdaptability is just as crucial. You have to be willing to adjust and change as circumstances shift. And once you\u0027re out there, resilience is so important \u2013 both mental and physical. In the end, the mental side will take you further.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOn my last Antarctic expedition, I set the female speed record. But I\u2019m not the best skier, I only learned as an adult. I didn\u2019t succeed because of technical skill alone; I got there through mental resilience and a willingness to keep learning. You don\u2019t have to be the best to succeed.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"quoteText":"Mental resilience isn\u2019t something you\u0027re born with, and you can\u2019t get it automatically. You build it over time by going out of your comfort zone over and over again.","attribution":"Preet Chandi MBE","gridType":"quote","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/d5jgyrzc/preet-chandi-mbe-camping-in-the-snow.jpg","width":4624,"height":3468,"altText":"The image shows a red pitched tent on snow. The tent is to the left of the image and there is nothing but snow surrounding it. The sky behind the tent is bright blue.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EYou\u0027re a role model to so many young people, but who are some of your role models?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI didn\u2019t really grow up with role models. I remember noticing people I didn\u2019t want to be like, and that shaped my perspective. For me, it was about becoming what I didn\u2019t have, showing that it\u2019s OK to carve your own path rather than follow the same route as everyone else.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf someone wants to do polar expeditions, they don\u2019t have to take the exact steps I did. There\u2019s no single way to get there.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI do think representation is important \u2013 people being able to see someone who doesn\u2019t fit the traditional mold and realising they can do it too.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EA lot of people assume I was inspired by Shackleton, Amundsen, or Scott, but I didn\u2019t know who they were. That\u2019s not to say they aren\u2019t inspiring, but I didn\u2019t grow up in that world. Even after my first expedition, people asked me about Everest, and I knew nothing about it!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year, while working in Antarctica, I was one of the lecturers alongside two historians. That experience taught me so much more about the history of exploration, it\u2019s been great to keep learning along the way.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat\u2019s the best advice you\u0027ve been given?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOne of the best pieces of advice I\u2019ve been given is: \u2018Ask for forgiveness rather than permission\u2019. I love that, because I was often told I couldn\u2019t do things. Instead of waiting for approval, sometimes you just have to go for it. I definitely did that a lot!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen it comes to exploration and adventure, my advice is simple: \u2018Just start\u2019. Don\u2019t overthink it. The first step doesn\u2019t have to be big \u2013 any start is a start. So many people hesitate because they feel unprepared or intimidated, but if you wait for the perfect moment, you might never begin.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019ve been there myself. When I first got contacts for people who\u2019d done polar expeditions, I put off reaching out for ages. I thought, \u2018I don\u2019t have enough experience yet. I need to do more training first, or they\u2019ll see me as a complete novice\u2019. But you don\u2019t have to be fully ready to take that first step. Just start.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","image":"/media/zebbht4b/preet-chandi-mbe-1.jpg","width":6560,"height":4928,"altText":"The image shows Preet Chandi MBE wearing a hat, neck warmer and fluffy jumper while she holds the camera above her head to take a selfie. She\u0027s smiling at the camera and she\u0027s wrapped up in a red sleeping bag.","caption":"","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EHow far do you plan ahead?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI try not to plan too far ahead because the Arctic is incredibly tough. Trying to get to the geographic North Pole will be harder than anything I\u2019ve ever done before.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYears ago, the magnetic North Pole was more accessible, but it\u2019s since moved closer to the geographic North Pole, making it even more challenging to reach. The conditions are brutal, and there are so many variables to navigate. While I have long-term goals, I try to focus on what\u2019s directly in front of me, one step at a time.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Ch4\u003EHow conscious are you of sustainability being a theme of your expeditions?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m very conscious of sustainability in my expeditions. I\u2019ve explored different ways to incorporate research, but from my experience in Antarctica, I know how difficult it is to balance both research and exploration. When you\u2019re in extreme environments, survival takes priority. That said, I\u2019ll be reporting exactly what I see and sharing the effects of climate change firsthand.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019m not going to the Arctic to conquer anything. When you\u2019re in nature, you have to respect it. At the end of the day, if nature wanted to, it could wipe us out. That\u2019s why I think it\u2019s so important to respect the places we explore.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat message would you have for our young Scouts who might be thinking about adventures of their own or careers in exploration?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EI\u2019d say no adventure is too small. It doesn\u2019t matter where you start, just get out there and try something.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EEven simply exploring your local area, noticing what\u2019s around you, and listening for animal sounds can be really special. It\u2019s something I never really did until I was an adult, but it\u2019s a great way to develop curiosity and a sense of adventure.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAnd of course, planning and preparation, something you learn in Scouts, is so important. Whatever you do, be prepared!\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch4\u003EWhat are the benefits of the outdoors on mental wellbeing for you?\u003C/h4\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAfter my second Antarctic trip, I came back feeling quite broken. I had surgery on my leg, and during my recovery, all I wanted was to get outside \u2013 even if just for a few minutes.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen I\u2019m on expeditions, I\u2019m completely offline. But once I\u2019m back, it\u2019s easy to fall into endless scrolling on my phone. Just stepping outside for a 10-minute walk makes a huge difference. It helps me feel more grounded and gives me space to think.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EBeing outdoors creates that separation and mindfulness, it\u2019s a chance to step away from distractions and just be in my own head for a while.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"type":"Promo","cta":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EFollow Preet\u2019s adventures and support her next mission at \u003Ca rel=\u0022noopener\u0022 href=\u0022https://polarpreet.com/\u0022 target=\u0022_blank\u0022\u003EPolar Preet \u2013 Breaking Boundaries.\u003C/a\u003E\u003C/p\u003E","link":null,"colour":"#f1f1f1","title":"Keep up with the adventure","image":null,"imageFocus":"","imageId":0,"imageKey":"00000000-0000-0000-0000-000000000000","imageCrop":"","gridType":"card","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"13 February 2025","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[],"relatedLinks":[],"id":84641,"nodeName":"Why mental resilience gets you further","title":"Why mental resilience gets you further ","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/oc2dp1ev/preet-chandi-mbe-2.jpg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1db7e019e6cf750","caption":"Preet Chandi MBE 2","type":"jpg","size":4601987,"width":6560,"height":4928,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"Why mental resilience gets you further ","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"We chatted to Preet Chandi MBE to hear about her adventurous expeditions and being mentally resilient when exploring.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC84NDY0MSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2025/february/why-mental-resilience-gets-you-further/"}