Why'd You Think You Could Do That?

Most people will never step foot in Antarctica. Even fewer will ski across it. Almost no one will spend longer alone on that continent than Aaron Linsdau. For 82 days, it was just one man, two sleds, and the endless white stretching toward the South Pole

In this Spark episode of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, host Sam Penny draws from Aaron’s powerful mantra:
“As long as you keep chipping away at it, you always have a chance. Quitting simply isn’t an option.”
What You’ll Hear in This Spark
  • How to capture the thing you truly want.
  • The importance of writing it down and declaring it out loud.
  • Why the first step is where impossible dreams begin.
Key Takeaway
Aaron didn’t reach the South Pole in one giant leap. He got there step by step, ski by ski, refusing to give in. And you don’t need Antarctica to prove it—you just need to take the first step and remember that quitting isn’t an option.
Power Move
Write it down:
  • I want to…
  • I am going to…
Then say it out loud. Because when you give words to your spark, you give it weight.

For Aaron's Guest Hub, head to sampenny.com/aaron-linsdau
To work !:1 with Sam, head to sampenny.com/action

Creators and Guests

Host
Sam Penny
Sam Penny is an adventurer, entrepreneur, and keynote speaker who lives by the mantra “Say YES! to the Impossible.” From swimming the English Channel in winter to building and selling multi-million-dollar companies, Sam thrives on pushing boundaries in both business and life. As host of Why’d You Think You Could Do That?, he sits down with ordinary people who have done extraordinary things, uncovering the mindset, resilience, and bold decisions that made it possible — and showing listeners why their own impossible is closer than they think.

What is Why'd You Think You Could Do That??

They’ve swum oceans, scaled mountains, launched empires, and shattered expectations. But before they did any of it, someone, maybe even themselves, thought: “You can’t do that.”

Hosted by Sam Penny, Why’d You Think You Could Do That? dives into the minds of people who said “screw it” and went for it anyway. From adventurers and elite athletes to wildcard entrepreneurs and creative renegades, each episode unpacks the one question they all have in common:

“Why'd you think you could do that?”

If you’re wired for more, haunted by big ideas, or just sick of playing it safe, this is your show.

Sam Penny (00:00)
Most people will never step foot in Antarctica. Even fewer will ski across it and almost no one will spend longer alone on that continent than Aaron Linsdau. 82 days, just one man, two sleds and the endless white stretching to the South Pole. This is Why'd You Think You Could Do That? I'm Sam Penny and these short episodes are your power move. A few minutes to challenge your thinking, fuel your courage and bring you closer to your impossible. This week,

We're diving into one line from Aaron that has the power to change how you see your own life. As long as you keep chipping away at it, you always have a chance. Quitting simply isn't an option. And here's how this week will unfold. Today, it's the spark. We'll start by capturing your spark, the thing you want, the thing you're going after. Then tomorrow, struggle. We'll face the voice that tells you to stop.

the mental battles that nearly broke Aaron in Antarctica and the ones you fight every day. And Wednesday, it's the breakthrough. You'll discover how persistence compounds and why the breakthrough always comes after the hardest moments. Thursday, you'll hear Aaron's full story, the record breaking South Pole expedition, the hallucinations, the hunger, the isolation and what it taught him about life.

And Friday, it's action. We'll turn it back on you. A simple practical step so you can chip away at your own impossible. Because you're better than you think you are. underestimate their strength. They believe bravery belongs to other people. But ordinary people do extraordinary things all the time. Not by being superhuman.

but by refusing to quit. Aaron didn't reach the South Pole with one giant leap. He got there step by step, ski by ski, chipping away, refusing to give in. And that's your spark today. Write it down, complete the sentence, I want to, and then complete this sentence, I am going to. Then say it out loud, declare it, because the moment you give words to your spark, you start giving it weight.

You don't need Antarctica to prove it. You just need to take the first step and remember that quitting isn't an option.