I wanted to share a story some of you may have read, or heard about. Roz Savage, a 41 yr old British woman who is rowing solo across the Pacific to raise awareness about environmental issues. While I'm not rowing solo over thousands of miles of open ocean, I am doing a few things similar to Roz. First, I'm trying something I've never attempted. I'm doing it solo. And finally, I'm on the water and in a boat. I know...it's not quite the same as rowing solo across the Pacific, but she does give me some great inspiration. One thing that is interesting about this project is when I talk to people. One of the first things they ask is, "Your going by yourself"? For those of you who wonder, yes, it's my preference to do this solo. First, it's easier to do it this way. There isn't any waiting for someone else's schedule or, having to slow down when they're tired. I also know that when I'm tired or need some food,I am not easy to be around. The freedom of being solo is pretty nice too. If I feel like I want to put some miles in at midnight, I can. I enjoy my own company so it's not a burden, but a great time for reflection and thought. Finally, its a challenge of an individual nature. Basically I'll follow someone else's pushing and motivation if they are there. I wouldn't have to be disciplined...I could be lazy. Doing it solo challenges me to be disciplined.
Anyway, Roz has reached Hawaii and is waiting for next summer to start her 2nd leg. Along the way Roz had storms, equipment failures, including her water distilling equipment failing. Her blog is full of adventure and reflection. In addition, I love her philosophy about this whole deal. Essentially it can be simplified to, "If I repeat what I did today 364 times, will I be where I want to be next year?" A great question!
Here's an article that appeared in the London Sunday Times about Roz's philosophy on life.
I Am What I Am
[Sunday Times, 23 April 2006]
o Don't waste mental energy asking yourself if you CAN do something. Just do it. You'll surprise yourself. I did.
o Be clear about your objectives. Ignore others, stay true to yourself and measure success only against your own criteria. I was last to finish the race - big deal. I went out there to learn about myself, and I did.
o The only constant in life is change. So don't get depressed by the bad times, and don't get over-excited by good ones. Accept that things are exactly as they are, and even bad times have something to teach us.
o Life can be magical, but magic only gets you so far. Then you need discipline, determination and dedication to see it through.
o Hope can hurt. The danger is that you hope for too much and set yourself up for disappointment. Be optimistic but realistic. Nothing is ever as good or as bad as you expect it to be.
o Be mindful of the link between present action and desired future outcome. Ask yourself: if I repeat today's actions 365 times, will I be where I want to be in a year?
o Decision-making: act in faith, not fear, and don't worry about making a 'wrong' decision - the way you implement it is more important than the decision itself.
o Be your own best friend. The more you rely on other people, the less control you have over your destiny.
o Be proud of your own obituary: a few years ago I wrote two versions of my obituary, the one I wanted and the one I was heading for. They were very different. I realized I needed to make some big changes if I was going to look back and be proud of my life. I am making those changes, and now I have a life worth living.
If your interested in reading more about Roz, here's a link to her website and blog.
http://www.rozsavage.com/
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