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| [Image by Dorothe (aka Darkmoon_Art) from Pixabay.com] |
Today's mediation:
A course plotted on a nautical chart - is not the journey.
Information on a map may be superseded by real-world events - or the map may be based on faulty information. Also, you must always consider that your instruments *may* be reporting incorrect data.
During the preparation for a long voyage, some years ago, I studied the historical voyages of others who had sailed the same areas into which I intended to go.
I studied the currents, the underwater geography, the weather patterns.
I made careful notes of areas of possible refuge and safety in which I might seek shelter from gales that might arise during various segments of my planned voyage.
I recorded the GPS coordinates of areas that were reported by other sailors to have good holding, in which to anchor.
After an exhausting passage of some days, I sought refuge in a wide bay - along a desolate section of the Baja coast, for a good night's rest.
As I navigated to the GPS coordinates recorded from another's previous voyage logs, I became concerned that the recommended location seemed to be in some potentially dangerously shallow water - as the swell of the ocean entered the bay and wrapped around and surged toward the area reported to be safe.
From a distance, the swells were a concern, but were not alarming.
As I drew closer - my apprehension and alarm skyrocketed.
I was entering an area that was clearly very dangerous. As the depth became more shallow, the swells grew in height - and became very large breaking waves.
I immediately swung the wheel 180-degrees and headed toward the middle of the bay, and somewhat deeper water - and dropped my anchor - where I had a peaceful night's rest.
The lessons to be learned:
- A voyage plan is just a plan. You must be agile and adaptable.
- The same goes for business plans, product plans, and project plans.
- From the Rules of Meeks: Rule #1 applies, always.
- If you are doing something that isn't working - don't be rigid in your thinking - be willing to embrace the pivot.
- There are always signs - you must be open to reading them.
- Awareness and adaptability are more powerful than blind optimism.
- Stubborn denial and refusal to accept new information - and insistence on maintaining a course - can result in disaster.
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