The author of this interesting material is the Australian expert in innovation and strategic marketing, an entrepreneur Matthew Dunstan – the founder of the company Board Associates. And obviously: nature-lover and thalassophiles.

Dunstan often sails in Greek waters, and the marine lifestyle fundamentally changes his point of view and value system regarding business, leadership, and life.

For his followers on LinkedIn, he summarizes the lessons learned: sometimes through mistakes and hard-earned experiences, which he draws on every day, especially when things don’t go as planned.

The text is grouped into business themes, but Matthew Dunstan believes that they are also equal to our personal life.

Strategy, Direction & Purpose

Cruising aimlessly in a beautiful place is fine for a while, but I believe we are meant to voyage, not to drift. Eventually we need a destination, and a plan to get there. The same is true in business. Without a goal we are drifting. Without a strategy, our goal is just a dream.

Perseverance

• The wind is often against you. It doesn’t mean the destination is invalid, you just need to put in a few tacks to reach it. In business we may need to be flexible in our approach but the goal is still valid and should remain constant.
• It’s not all cocktails and sunsets. Sometimes there are long, boring, hard or ugly patches to go through. This is the cost of getting the boat to the next beautiful place. We didn’t cross the Atlantic for the fun of it. We just really wanted to sail in the Med.

Leadership

• You need to take care of the boat and the crew along the way. You can’t get there without them.
• The Captain Bligh approach doesn’t work. The crew has to want to be there. Often this means moving at their pace.
• There is no shortage of advice. At the end of the day though, responsibility for ship and crew is yours alone. You have to make the call you think is best and then own it.

Daily Discipline

• Once your course is set, you need to get on with sailing the boat. The day to day actions that actually propel you forward. You have to move from dreaming & planning to action.
• Doesn’t loose sight of the main game. Boat maintenance and to do lists aren’t it. Remember why you’re there and make that the focus of your day.
• A journey of 3000 nautical miles (our Atlantic crossing) is made one day and100miles at a time. Sure you have to point the boat toward Portugal but then you just have to focus on making today’s hundred miles…and then repeat.

Take the right action at the right time

• Sometimes the wind will be the wrong strength or blow from the wrong direction. All you can do is trim the sails to the conditions on the day. Deal with reality and make the best of things.
• There is a season to everything. Rather than doggedly hold to a plan, align yourself with the natural rhythm around you. It turns out better and often in unexpected ways.

The world doesn’t work to your timetable.

• You are where you’re meant to be. You may not like it, you may feel you’ve been stuck in a spot too long, but if you surrender to it, it works out for the best. There’s usually more to see, do or experience before you’re ready to move on.
• It doesn’t matter how good or competent you are, The elements will trump you any time they want. You don’t have as much control as you think so always be humble and respectful.

Don’t forget to enjoy the journey.

• You can have a bad day anywhere but if you stop and look up, this is a pretty good place to have a bad day. Appreciate what you have.
• Be present and take joy in the people around you. This is where contentment comes from (a lesson from the many poorer, yet happier communities we spent time with).
• Keep an open and generous heart. We’re not really competing with one another. Life is abundant in unexpected ways if you’re open to it (I was constantly amazed by the generosity of people who have little).
• Don’t fill the gaps in your day with an iPhone. Take the opportunity to slow down your mind and observe life around you (in the Caribbean it’s called liming). It’s amazing what you will see when there’s no wifi.

Take care of yourself

• There will be storms, scary conditions, even a hurricane. At times like these it’s ok to find a safe harbour, curl up down below with a book and a cup of tea. It will eventually blow over.
• After a storm, we would find the most beautiful anchorage we could and spend a few days lying on the beach. Cocktails and sunsets fix everything!

Character

• The measure of a captain isn’t how big his boat is or what job he used to have. It’s how freely gives of himself and the generosity of his spirit.

Anyone can sail on a calm day. It’s when the storm hits that you really find out what sort of skipper you are.