A Desired Destination

A man without a destination is a ship without a sail.

Without a sail, we are blown by the wind.
Without a sail, we are pushed by the current.
Without a destination, we could end up anywhere.

To reach a destination, we must sail.
And the wind will not always be at our back.

We must learn to tack when the wind is against us.
We must learn to adjust our sails when we are a few degrees off.

In the future, we look back over the horizon from whence we came.
We find we are where we consistently tried to get.

Those who did not persistently commit to a destination ended up anywhere.

Our goals are the sails that steer our ship.
A big dream is a big sail.

Know where you are going

Before we make adjustments to our sails, we must know where we want to go.

A destination determines appropriate day-to-day actions.
A destination helps us remain steadfast, tacking when the winds and currents are against us.

How vivid is your ultimate destination in your mind?
Can you smell the air and feel the wind?

A skilled sailor plans for their day, their year, their decade.
A skilled sailor organizes tasks and goals by priority.
A skilled sailor adds more of what works and removes what doesn’t.
A skilled sailor is obsessed, patient, and endlessly persistent.

Persistence

Persistence directs energy toward a singular target over time.
Persistence allows us to stay aimed on the target even when the wind and sea work against us.

Sometimes a sailor must move one step back to move two steps forward.

Even plans that don’t work yield lessons.
We will never learn if we do not act and iterate on our successes and failures.

We must plan and act to gain experience, to learn, to grow.
We rest when we are tired. When we are rested, we return to work and play.

We must impart our will on the sea.
We must plan mentally, physically, emotionally, and financially in order to be prepared to execute whatever the sea offers us.

Some days the winds and seas are overpowering. On those days we may move backwards.
But storms don’t last forever.

Continuing to show up allows us to make up for lost ground when the currents inevitably change.

Fall in love with the pursuit

If we change our destination each day, we will never arrive.

It’s important to find a destination that fills the heart with fire and joy — a dream that never gets old.

It is hard to become excellent at things one does not love.
By finding what we love to do, we find a pursuit that is sustainable.
We find one that is easier to come back to, one that is easier to show up to on the hard days.

When we find a destination that truly makes our heart sing, we are less likely to compare.
We are less likely for our will and conviction to fade.

Once we figure out what we want, we can design a plan to chase it and to achieve it.
Once we have decided what we want, we can fall in love with our story.
We imbue it with great power.
We become obsessed.

Once we start chasing something we love, we plant the seeds of truly believing in our heart that we can achieve it.

Short-term actions, long-term destination

Short-term actions should be in harmony with the long-term destination.
Make short-term goals and games that eventually lead to larger outcomes.

The ultimate plan is achievable, and the master plan becomes our blueprint.

In order to achieve long-term goals, we must figure out what shorter-term activities and actions are critical — with enough time, energy, belief, and persistence.

Working backwards in our minds as if we have already achieved it is useful in determining critical and beneficial daily actions.

Our master plan becomes our compass, and our day-to-day actions ultimately allow for that plan to come true.

By defining what short-term processes are most critical to the positive long-term outcomes, we put greater faith in the process.
We relax and are present. We give the process the respect it deserves. We enjoy our work and our craft.

When we find a plan that matches our soul, we can’t wait to wake up in the morning and get to work.
The excitement lights our hearts.
We feel excitement and gratitude for another opportunity to chase our dream.

Animals need something to chase

When we reach our goal, it is natural to feel pride and confidence. We feel our belief build. High performers are confident.

But it is important to keep an even-keeled perspective — it is only one day, and the journey is not over.

Enjoy the win. Celebrate it within yourself and with those who won’t mistake your pride as hubris.

But too much rest is rust.

In my experience, there is no end game.

Animals need something to chase.