power_11yearYachtcaptain.htm

She’s barely 4’11” tall, weighs about 83 pounds, and is 11 years old. Her name is Sami, that’s short for Samantha, and I recently saw her captain a 50’ ocean going yacht.

So many things in life have a certain measure of fear involved. Fear can cut short a promising career, can stop us in our tracks, can keep us from taking beneficial steps in life. In reality, fear is just false emotions that appear real. The majority of everything we fear never happens.

On a recent Saturday, Sami and her family were spending a lovely afternoon taking a ride in the bay around Newport Beach aboard her aunt and uncle’s 50’ yacht. This was a wonderful boat built in the old seafaring tradition, out of wood. There are cabins below, a main deck and the wheelhouse is up above. A variety of beautiful, gleaming woods are used on the interior, including a nice old-fashioned steering wheel.

David, the captain and caretaker of the boat, has a long tradition with the sea and with such vessels. His brother and sister-in-law, Chan and Dyane, own it. David has obviously carefully cared for this boat for many years.

On this particular Saturday afternoon, David and Chan untied the boat and David carefully maneuvered it from its berth into the harbor. This is a very busy harbor located between the peninsula and Balboa Island in Newport Beach, California.

Various members of the party were invited by David to take the wheel from time to time. Having lived on the shore of the Sea of Galilee in Israel as a little boy, I like boats. Thus, I enjoyed my turn at the helm of this beautiful boat in a lovely harbor.

The Newport Harbor is a wonderful feast for the eyes. There are not only many different types of boats and yachts, but there are also many beautiful homes along the peninsula and on Balboa Island. A series of flat ferryboats transport people and three cars at a time from one side of the harbor to the other. Balboa Island is a fun place where you can ride a Ferris wheel, bumper cars, and go on a haunted ride in a miniature Coney Island experience.

To take the wheel of a great yacht, in this lovely harbor, is quite a treat. Watching me at the wheel were David, our captain, and 11-year-old Sami. She is a lovely young lady with a great spirit and smiling eyes. Obviously very bright, she is also a lot of fun to be around.

As we kept maneuvering through the harbor, I asked Sami if she wanted to take the wheel. She said, “I can’t.” My natural inclination was, “Why not?” She explained that she was scared. When I inquired further, she said, “This is a big boat. I might crash it.”

It’s fear of the unknown that many people allow to keep them from taking bold steps. It’s as if we have to see every step clearly before we can venture forward safely. Much of that begins in our childhood.

I thought that this was an ideal moment to help Sami overcome this momentary fear and show her how strong she could be. As I sat in the captain’s chair, I asked if she would simply stand between me and the steering wheel. As in life, small agreements can lead to large agreements.

She agreed and seemed to enjoy the view from behind the wheel. As I kept guiding the boat, I then asked if she would simply put her hands on the wheel. No big maneuvers were needed as we kept moving slowly through the harbor. Before she knew it, I took my hands off the wheel.

Sami was now driving the boat. “What if something happens?” she asked. David quickly reassured her that he was close by and I stated that I was right behind her.

After asking Sami to make a few slight turns, we approached a large curve in the harbor. David told Sami that she would maneuver us through that turn. “I can’t do that. I’m gonna go downstairs,” she protested. Both David and I reassured her that we believed in her and that she could make the big turn.

Moments of great apprehension followed. Sami carefully maneuvering the wheel with a little gentle assistance and the 50’ yacht was successfully turned by an 11-year-old proud captain.

Sami had worked through her fear, accomplished something important and made a mental impression of that positive achievement. As Dale Carnegie teaches in the book, “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” David and I were hearty in our approbation and lavish in our praise of Captain Sami.

Is there a boat, or journey, in your life that you should get the courage to steer? Maybe it’s time to step up to the wheel, get some help, have some faith, and chart your course. If Sami can do it, so can you!

An Affirmation of Courage

I am overcoming my fears by taking decisive action today. I am a Champion.