At its best, life is completely unpredictable. –Christopher Walken

The idyllic town of St. Michaels, MD never disappoints.  Scenic bike rides.  Festive waterfront bars.  Amazing seafood.  And a unique small-town charm that always delivers. My wife and I make a yearly pilgrimage there as part of her (month-long) birthday celebration.  A glorious time!

This year was extra special as we went with our friends as part of a “co-birthday” celebration.  To commemorate the occasion, we decided to rent out a sailboat and take advantage of the breathtaking views and expansive seaside vistas.  The towering sailboat whisked us offshore and all of our worries slipped away. The wind was at our back.   We effortlessly glided along the water.  And we had a few drinks and some great conversation as we roared through the channel.  What’s not to like?

But as we sailed out of the harbor, the wind suddenly died.  The boat stalled and everything became eerily still.  The sun beat down on us and a perfect sail turned into a stagnated float.  After what seemed an eternity in the blazing heat, we started growing restless.  Surely the captain could leap into action. Perhaps we could shift the boom?  Perhaps we could bail out and start the motor?  After a few more minutes, I felt compelled to break the silence.

“Excuse me, is there anything we can do to get moving?”

The cantankerous captain waved me off and continued to stare out over the horizon.  If there was a way out, she wasn’t about to let on.  Several awkward minutes later, she finally broke the silence.

“I’ve been doing this a long time, and after a while, you realize how little control you have out here on the water.”

With that, she turned away from us and threw her hands up in the air.  Then she dramatically spun around to face us.

“We will be ready when things turn in our favor.  It’s all about managing the vagaries of the wind!”

And, as if on cue, the wind picked up slightly and we tilted the boat to take advantage of the shift in fortune.  Soon we were cutting through the water with the wind whipping through our hair.

And that is when we realized that no truer words had ever been spoken.  Sailing, like life, is all about managing the vagaries of the wind!

We Can’t Control Everything

In our work lives, we control many aspects that lead to our success.  Our diligence, dedication, foresight, and intuition will set us apart from our competition.  Our genuine care for the advancement of others and belief in our teammates will root us in humility and provide a foundation for our achievement.  Success doesn’t happen by accident.

But we must be prepared for the unexpected shifts in fortune which are dictated by the whimsies of others.   An unexpected competitor enters the marketplace. A fickle customer goes in another direction.  A new leader is installed from outside the company.    A downshift in the macro-economy negatively impacts our ability to sell.  We have limited ability to control these situations.  But we can’t let that discourage us.

Our strengths are still present even if the immediate conditions hamper our ability to perform.  Negative changes are a part of life, but they do not last forever.  Sometimes, it’s about remaining cool and confident amidst the turmoil.  We must be prepared to point our boats in an optimum direction in anticipation of the winds inevitably shifting back in our favor!

Keep Our Sails Up

There will be times when our boat floats into a dead calm and there is no relief on the horizon.  We can’t lower our sails and despair in those moments.  Perhaps we are just one cold call away from landing a deal.  Perhaps we haven’t given enough time for our strategy to take hold.  Perhaps we need to open our minds to a new way of thinking.  Perhaps we need to assume positive intentions.

There is much we can’t control.  But we can control our attitude.  We can control our work ethic.  We can control our mindset.  We can remain steadfast even as the sun beats down upon us.  And as long as we keep our sails up and anticipate a shift in fortune, we will be fully prepared when our moment finally arrives.

There are so many incredible moments in life.  So many times when we feel invincible and appreciate all our blessings.  But ultimately our success and happiness will be measured by how deftly we manage the vagaries of the wind!