"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by
the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore.
Dream. Discover. " ~Mark Twain
Okay it’s February and maybe some of the
changes we hoped to make in the New Year have already fizzled out. What should we do? Just forget about it until the next
New Year? Give up and accept defeat? Feel frustrated and disappointed? Absolutely not! Maybe we just need a reminder of how
to get back on course.
We can take some points from sailing on how to
reach our destination—goal—successfully. When charting a course between two points, we would usually draw a straight
line. However, an experienced sailor knows that the actual navigation of the trip will take several adjustments depending
on circumstances encountered along the way. The actual “line” ends up being a series of zigs and zags. The journey
may also involve several stops along the way, either for re-stocking of supplies and fuel or for sightseeing and pleasure.
We can adapt the practice of zigzagging for our
own life. We can keep in mind that mis-steps, failures or disappointments are signals to let us know when adjustments are
needed. They are not moments of defeat. We can recognize that zigzags are a natural process of life. And at any time we can
correct our course, or even plot a new one, to be successful. The missteps can then be perceived as insightful and exciting
because we know that they are bringing us closer to our chosen destination.
Minor course corrections in sailing are common
due to even slight wind or current changes. Sometimes a major alteration may be needed due to storms or other potential hazards.
The sailor has to be alert to what is happening in the environment at all times and be ready to respond appropriately. It
can mean the difference between ending up in some unwanted or unknown location, or even worse, potentially the safety of the
boat and his life.
Our lives are the same way.
When we give our self room for zigzagging, taking pauses or stops along the journey to re-fuel our mind, body and spirit and
to enjoy the journey, then we can reach our desired destination. No matter what rough seas or winds come our way, we can stay
on course. When we allow flexibility in our thinking and actions, we can be prepared to respond to the ebb and flow of situations
in our life. Then ending up exactly where we want to be—or someplace even better than we imagined—not only becomes
easier but also happens more frequently.
Then we can say, Bravo Zulu (Well done!)
