I was recently sailing up at Elk Lake, on a moderately windy day, and had a good run of it for an hour or so before bringing the boat back onto the dock. When I arrived, Karl, one of the “old salts” of the Elk Lake sailboat marina, was waiting to help bring the boat into my slip. As I stepped off the boat he said, “Looks like you were having quite a bit of trouble out there.”
“Oh really, how do you mean,” I inquired.
Karl went on to explain in detail that he observed me keeping the sails “sheeted in” too tight during much of my afternoon sail. After getting over my initial irritation with the unsolicited critique, we carried on for awhile about optimal trimming of sails during various points of sail, to get the most out of your boat.
It wasn’t until the next day though, that the real depth of what Capt. Karl had said started to sink in. As far as the boat goes, Karl was right. I do have the tendency to keep the sails sheeted in quite tight, as I like to push the boat and get as much speed and action as possible. The problem with this habit though, is that in most cases this technique really doesn’t yield much more boat speed, is generally hard on the boat, and exhausting for the sailor.
It then struck me that I tend to “keep the sails sheeted in too tight” in many other areas of my life as well. Imagine that… big surprise, huh? I’ve been realizing that often in my efforts to be better, do better, accomplish more, etc., etc., my attempts to “drive the boat faster” might actually not be yielding more results at all. In fact, it might just contribute to worry and frustration, while actually wearing me out in the process.
As I’ve been sitting with these thoughts, I’ve been considering all of the areas of my life that I could “ease the sails a bit”, and let the wind, the boat and Nature work more efficiently and with less of my frenetic effort. I am beginning to find opportunities within how I approach my business, my relationships with family, and my personal ambitions to apply this thinking.
I’ve also been realizing that there is a deeper sense of trust that is required to really make these kind of changes. It is trust that there is a wisdom and intelligence in this life that is working and orchestrating without me doing anything. As a physician, I know this is happening in our bodies, and I’ve got the sense it is happening on a grander scale as well.
If my sailing metaphor resonates with you at all, I can assure you this is the right time of year to “ease your sails” as well. With the onset of Fall, and the cooling down of Summer energy, it is the perfect time to settle down, re-establish a rhythm and routine, and reconsider priorities.