I’ll share a little secret with you. The first time I went sailing in the mid-1980s I was terrified. I thought the boat was going to tip over and I’d end up being lunch for the seven-gill sharks that exist peacefully in the river Derwent. Totally irrational, I know. I also remember lying in bed that night and feeling as though the room was on an angle and I was at risk of rolling out of bed.
Here’s the thing. When you’re sailing into the wind, you have no option but to tack. The zigs and zags allow you to make forward progress, and the pressure of the wind in the sail causes the boat to tip. If we wanted to get back to the yacht club, we had to sail into the wind. The offer of my first Cherry Ripe did little to calm my nerves. It was a memorable day.
Fast forward a few years and I am relieved to discover that being on the water is indeed my happy place. Things change, we evolve.
Back to our race. The first destination, the top mark, is always set into the wind. For the novice and experienced sailor alike, those calculated tacks make all the difference between being at the lead or tail-end of the fleet. In small boats this involves hiking (reaching out backwards) to keep the boat flat, in larger boats, the crew sit on the rail.
Sailors must be at one with their boat, their crew, the water and the wind. Completely absorbed in what they are doing, psychologist Csíkszentmihályi calls this a state of “flow” or being “in the zone”. Constant adjustments are made. It’s not easy, and that’s the point. Battling against the elements is part of the challenge.
The same is true of life. We set goals and find ourselves with conditions that propel us forward and other events which send us in the opposite direction. We need to adjust our sails, maintain focus, and keep heading in the right direction, especially when we’re tacking. I wonder what you’re thinking at these times. Are you being kind to yourself? What are you saying in your head?
Challenging yourself is hard and takes courage. Are you ready to evolve?
Susan David | TEDWoman 2017 | The gift and power of emotional courage
"The most important conversations you’ll ever have, are the ones with yourself. Have them with courage. Have them with compassion. Have them with wisdom.” SUSAN DAVID
