One Adventure; Two Stories
I’ve just returned from the adventure of a lifetime.
A three-week trip, driving my powerboat from Tampa Bay (FL) to Hingham (MA).
I pulled into the harbor right on schedule, with my good friend and client Steve Showalter by my side.
There are two different versions of this story I could tell you, both of which are true:
In one story, I’m in a steady, focused state for three straight weeks. I make a plan and stick to it. I pick up every friend and family member at port exactly when I’m supposed to - as usual, I am running things on time. There are incredible sunsets and a spectacular view of the Manhattan skyline. Deep conversations and laughing until I cry, in a way I haven’t for years. Even when challenges arise, I overcome them. The experience is priceless. I’m a hero.
In another story, I’m in a state of constant stress for three straight weeks. Making a detailed, specific plan is the absolute wrong way to approach a trip this large and this uncertain. I risk my safety to stay on schedule. I bottom out the boat on my first day and nearly run out of gas on the last day. I venture out in bad weather. My entrance to Hingham harbor was limping along at 10 mph - it’s as if the boat itself was saying - that’s enough. The experience costs me tens of thousands of dollars. I’m a fool, who once again got in over his skis.
This isn’t a piece about seeing the glass half-full. Both stories are real, and two things can be true.
And as much as I like the thought of being a hero, I suspect the second story will be a more valuable growth experience than the first. That’s likely because growth comes from doing hard things that challenge us. This trip was by far one of the hardest things I’ve done in my life.
It was right up there with any Ironman race, with digging myself out of $2 million in debt, and maybe even up there with being under federal investigation.*
I’m still processing the lessons I’ve learned, but with a little time, I’ll share those with you as well. For now, I’m sitting both with the knowledge that I’ve changed, and gratitude for the opportunity to take this journey.
More to come.
