Never guarantee anything unless you are prepared to meet or exceed it every time.

The End of the Donnor Party

While the story of the Donnor Party is tragic, it is also full of examples of how our human tendencies can veer us off track and bring tragedy into our lives.  If Donnor had made it to California, I suspect his list of lessons learned would be similar to mine:

• Beware of easy gain.
• Don’t do anything that is important in a hurry.
• The shortest path between two points is rarely a straight line.
• Listen to cautions.
• Do your research.
• Protect your assets.
• Act with humility, admit error and accept adjustment.

 Next time you set out to take an important journey be aware of your tendencies to take your “Hastings Cutoff.” If you just took one…go back, NOW!

Seven Lessons Learned from George Donner:

Act with humility, admit error and accept adjustment:  It takes courage and character to admit we are wrong.  Perhaps C.S. Lewis said it best when he wrote, “We all want progress, but if you're on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.”  Pride is the biggest culprit in our dogged bullheaded tendency not to adjust.  If the Donnor Party had only gone back and taken the road “most” traveled…if only.

Seven Lessons Learned from George Donner:

Protect your assets:  Never risk anything unless you are prepared to loose 100% of it. Our travelers risked all of their possessions and family members.  In the end, they lost all of their possessions and most of their family members.  Before you begin anything important, always count all of the costs of the venture.  I know people who mortgaged their home to save their business and now live with relatives.  Men and women have lost their spouses and/or children by allowing themselves to be consumed by a profession.  Protect that which is irreplaceable and most valuable to you.

Seven Lessons Learned from George Donner:

Do your research: P.T. Barnum is famous for his quote, “There is a sucker born every minute.”  While this is not a philosophy that one should base his life purpose on, it is true.  In P.T.’s time it was the snake oil salesman who preyed on the gullible.  Today, a quick look at the internet or TV reveals similar “easy solutions” to life’s problems.  Those heading for riches in California knew the trip was difficult even using the traditional Oregon Trail.  Too bad the Donnor Party didn’t first dig deeper and uncover that the shortcut had never been traversed with wagons.