Every person out at sea count the days... Days until they return… Days they will be onboard… Days until the next port… “Travel brings power and love back into your life.” Rumi Meanwhile back at home there is family and friends missing their presence too. Here are a few thoughts for the family and the seaman to think about in their loneliness… We chose this. We live this. We can do this. When I’m with you, hours feel like seconds…when we’re are apart, days feel like … [Read more...]
Mark Off The Date With A Big X
A favorite and consistent habit of every person working aboard an ocean going merchant ship is marking off each day on the calendar. A big X signifies another day done and dusted. Sometimes the calendar is a large one on the bulkhead (that’s the wall you land lubbers!) and for others a smaller calendar on the writing desk or by their bunk. It’s a combination of seeing the days gone by and looking ahead to the days when it’s time to leave the ship and go home again. Other than a few words … [Read more...]
What Do You Value More – Physical Attributes or Mental Toughness?
"Champions aren’t made in the gyms. Champions are made from something they have deep inside them―a desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill, and the will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." – Muhammad Ali Simon Sinek asks us to “Start With Why”. Why does he ask us this question? It’s so we think about and come to grips with this – define our why? Define our desire, our dream, our vision. It’s what Muhammad Ali is saying to us. Yet, even with Covid and lock downs, have … [Read more...]
You Need To Plan!
You need to plan. A plan is a starting point – a guide. Plans are made to change. At times a small change makes a big difference. “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail.” - Benjamin Franklin Now it is okay to fail. As long as it is done along an intentional path you planned. From the failure you learn, you make adjustments and you have another go at it. You learn from failure. That’s a lot different than setting yourself up for failure. The planning process must be done … [Read more...]
How Solid is Your Focus and Values?
Our focus and our values are guiding lights for our lives. Like a lighthouse guiding a ship at night from the sea to port. It’s not that these are forever in cement never to be changed or adjusted. However, careful thought and consideration must be given before that happens. Your focus and values have to remain true to you and more important you to them. This isn’t always easy. There will always be outside influences and distractions which will test your ability to remain true to your … [Read more...]
Did You Change Your Mind? Again?
Did you change your mind – again? What influences us to often change our mind? Out at sea, in the open ocean, a ship underway is able to change course fairly easily. When the ship’s wheel is turned for example 10 degrees or 15 degrees right (starboard) the ship begins to move in that direction. How quickly it responds does depend on how long the ship is, how heavy, how fast through the water it’s moving ahead and where the center of gravity is for that ship right then. In addition, the … [Read more...]
