Real-life resilience - The Chilean Miners

Imagine being trapped underground for 69 days with no way out and no certainty of rescue. This is a story of 33 men who refused to break, because they managed to build a powerful resilience system that deserves to be studied.

In 2010, 33 miners descended into the San José mine in Chile and were trapped 2,300 feet underground after a collapse sealed their only escape route. No one had ever survived a mine collapse that deep. For 17 days, the world thought they were dead.

But they were very much alive. And what they built down there wasn't just a survival story. It was actually a masterclass in human systems. It’s a story of extreme pressure that reveals five resilience tools we can all use, even above ground.

Consider what might go through your mind as you discover you are trapped in a dark mine without a way out. How would you feel? Where would you even begin?

Well, here’s how these men survived those 69 days underground.

1. They created immediate structure. Within hours, shift leader Luis Urzúa stepped up as commander to establish roles and routines. A group of miners took responsibility for food rationing which allowed the reserves to last for two weeks (they are only stocked for three days). Other miners managed sanitation while others were responsible for keeping up morale. When the world collapses, we need to create order and structure, fast!

2. They practiced psychological spacing. They designated areas for different activities: sleeping, talking, waste, and spiritual reflection. They even had a section for recycling! This zoning reduced conflict and gave them a sense of normalcy in a completely abnormal environment. It’s a great demonstration that, especially in times of chaos, space and boundaries can be critical to protect mental energy.

3. They built rituals. The men had daily prayers, regular check-ins, storytelling before sleep. These feel like nice-to-haves, but they were actually terribly important. These routines are called neural anchors, giving the brain consistency and predictability. The miners wanted to create a sense of normalcy to keep their routines alive and therefore avoid panic. In this way, ritual wasn’t a luxury - it was actually fuel to keep their resilience levels high.

4. They distributed leadership. Luis Urzúa didn’t hoard authority. Instead, democracy prevailed and every major decision was voted on with 17 votes determining the direction. This was a calming mechanism that allowed everyone to be heard, but also outlined clear direction. He also let others lead in their zones of strength. A natural joker became the unofficial manager of morale. One miner became the spiritual anchor. They spread the love and it served as a reminder that resilience is rarely a solo performance.

5. They managed meaning. The Chileans were high on hope, and to men with such faith, that hope wasn’t blind optimism. It was a practical faith in something greater, built through action and keeping each other accountable. When they finally made contact with the surface, it was in a positive, grateful tone. They waited patiently for the authorities to create the rescue plan. Sometimes we have to make/find our own meaning.

Bringing this to the surface - resilience at work.

This story isn’t just about survival. It’s also about strategy. A strategy we can all adopt in our professional and personal lives to get through anything.

Our teams are exhausted. The market’s unpredictable. Plenty of us feel like we’re buried under it all. We don’t need hustle hacks. We need systems.

Applying the miners' blueprint:

• Clear role clarity. Who owns what? When everything is everyone’s job, it’s no one’s.

• Zone the environment. Define focus zones and recovery zones. We need to stop the pinging notifications invade both.

• Rituals set. Daily huddles, Friday wins, morning meditation. Set up some neural anchors to create consistency.

• Distribute leadership. Resilient cultures aren't built on heroes. Nor are they built on micromanagement. They’re built on networks.

• Anchor to meaning. Why does this work matter right now? Make it explicit.

A moment of personal reflection

I have a confession to make. I’ve been failing lately, succumbing to doomscrolling, spending more time on social media than I’d like to admit. And it’s not just a bad habit - it’s a massive energy leak. It’s been affecting my mood, my focus, and the energy I bring to the people around me. And honestly? It’s nowhere near how I choose to live and lead.

I see doomscrolling as my current ‘collapsed mine’. I’m not trying to be dramatic by comparing this first-world problem to a mine disaster, but I’m trying to be transparent. In a way, I see this doomscrolling as a type of suffocation.

So I’m taking a leaf out of the Chilean miners book and getting back to the important rituals. Up early for my morning routine that includes non-negotiable meditation and gratitude practice. I have also zoned my environment, picking a specific place where I do my writing, rather than at the kitchen table! Finally, I’m setting a rule to limit myself to 21 mins of Instagram a day, maximum.

There are so many other things we can do to change our behaviours and escape the figurative mines we find ourselves in. So I hope you can find what might be your ‘mine’ right now and what’s slowly caving in your focus, energy, and alignment.

Then I would suggest you build the system, set the rule, choose the ritual and call in your crew (I’m always here too, if you need!).

Because resilience isn’t built when things are easy. It’s built below ground, in the quiet decisions that no one sees…. until those decisions save us.

Let’s get back to the surface. Stronger. Sharper. More intentional than ever.

Until next time friends, stay resilient.

Carre @ Resilient Minds

PS - resilience is recognized as the second most important skill for jobs in the future (after critical thinking). Tell your leaders that a resilience workshop would be invaluable to the organization’s success.

PPS - If you want to test your own resilience at work, take this free 3-min assessment.