We all know the nursery rhyme which begins, “Row, row, row your boat”. However, rowing that boat requires us to have the desire to row, the proper Tools, a Guide, Daily Repetition, the Belief that we can row the boat, Commit to rowing until we reach our goal, and finally, Celebrate your achievement once you’ve reached your destination. These seven steps can be found in chapter 12 of my upcoming workbook, Soaring into Greatness, How to Live an Unstoppable, Unforgettable, Unbelievable Life. 

In the past when I taught piano lessons or provided counseling services to folks, most of the time people didn’t have too much difficulty with finding their desire to row their boat; gaining the proper Tools, ore, life vest, swimming suit; or getting someone to guide them across the lake. What they did have a hard time with was committing to Daily Repetition to gain muscles for the journey, believing they could row the boat, committing to rowing until they reached their goal, and finally, celebrating their achievement once they’ve reached their destination.  

The hardest of these seven skills seemed for folks to get into the boat, pick up the ore, and paddle. Many times, their internal fears stopped them. 

What if I fail? 

What if it’s too hard? 

What if I don’t make it? 

What if I encounter a shark, severe storm, or tsunami? 

Their fears paralyzed them from even stepping onto the boat; even if they spent loads of money for the boat, lessons, and tools. In reality, though, we blame our external circumstances not the external fears that stop us from rowing our boats, it’s the internal ones.  

None of us can control our external life circumstances. The storms, tsunamis, or sharks in our lives. What we do have control of is our Belief that we can row our boat and stay the course no matter what. We must have faith, believe we can do it, and, at the end of the day, we have to face the risk and take action. Only these three steps will enable the others to work in harmony with all other factors.  

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”  

-Muhammad Ali, Winner of the Gold Medal at the 1960 Rome Summer Olympics 

 How are you doing with your life’s boat? 

Do you have the desire to row?  

Do you have the proper Tools?  

Do you have a physical or spiritual Guide?  

Are you practicing Daily for your journey ahead?  

Do you Believe you can row your boat?  

Are you Committed? 

If all this is true, have you taken time to Celebrate your achievement? 

I challenge you to pick up your ore and get into your boat. Face your fear and just paddle. Take the risk! Be brave! Be the one in the water having fun, not the one on the shore watching. If you want to be the driver of your boat, the co-creator of your destiny, then, you have to take the plunge. Eat the chocolate! Be the vision! Fly the kite! Splash in the water! Swim with the sharks! I hear on good authority they don’t bite.   

As Mike Dooley says,

“Can I give you some advice that you won’t take the wrong way? 

Buy something special for yourself, Gail. 

Be proud. Flaunt your style. Love yourself. Daydream, wonder and make a few mistakes. 

Stay up too late every so often and sleep in too long. Sometimes wake up crazy early to doodle or journal or go for a walk. Play music loudly. Celebrate everything. And when no one is looking, as often as you can remember, kiss the back of each of your hands in quick succession. 

Happy love affair, gorgeous… 

  The Universe” 

©www.tut.com  

 Now, it’s time to let go of all your excuses and worry and believe, trust, and take action. Life’s too short not to row, row, row your boat. In this way, you’ll change the way you see, and you’ll change the way you live.