Use Fear to Your Advantage!
Many people have asked if I ever felt fear during the journey around the world. The answer is a resounding yes! You would have to lack any respect for the sea not to be afraid in some of the situations experienced during six years.
Losing the anchor in Thailand was scary.
Being chased by a “fishing boat” in the Malacca Straits didn’t exactly put me at ease because in my heart, I knew they weren’t fishermen.
Sailing through Pirate Alley, the 300-mile stretch between Somalia and Yemen, was terrifying.
It was unnerving sailing the Red Sea day after day and not seeing anybody but a few Saudi fishing boats.
During a 24-hour storm in the Red Sea with 50+ knot winds and 30-foot seas, our hearts were in our throats.
Being trapped by a line 40 feet underwater and running out of air… I could have bottled the fear and sold it.
The list goes on and on. I learned a lot about fear during my six-year odyssey around the world. Fear is nature’s way of making you focus on the task at hand. It sharpens your senses and makes you more alert. Therefore, when you are experiencing fear, recognize it, grab it, and make it work for you. Use that focus, your sharpened senses, and alertness to complete the task at hand.
Believe me, I know. I’ve been in a lot of very scary situations and I’ve lived to tell about them. I’ve learned to use the fear to my advantage — and you can, too.
Are you using fear to your advantage? How?