It is about time to talk about Swimology!
Once, there was a professor traveling on a ship. He had loads of degrees, but not much experience with the real world. Alongside him was an old sailor, who couldn’t read, but loved hearing the professor’s talks every evening.
One day, the professor asked, “Old man, do you know geology?”
The sailor scratched his head, “What’s that, sir?”
“It’s about the Earth we live on,” explained the professor.
“I’ve never been to school, sir. Never learned geology,” admitted the sailor.
“Old man, you’ve wasted a quarter of your life,” said the professor seriously.
The sailor felt pretty sad, thinking, “If this smart man says so, maybe I indeed wasted quarter of my life.”
The next day, the professor talked about oceanography. After the lecture, he asked the old sailor again, “Do you know oceanography?”
“No, sir. Never learned that either.” said the sailor.
“Old man, you’ve wasted half of your life,” declared the professor.
Now, the sailor was even sadder, sure that he wasted a big chunk of his life.
The following evening, the professor went on about meteorology. “Old man, do you know meteorology?”
“What’s that, sir?”
“It’s about weather, wind, and rain.”
“No, sir. I never went to school. Don’t know meteorology.”
“Old man, you’ve wasted three-quarters of your life,” concluded the professor.
Feeling really down, the old sailor thought, “If this clever professor says it, it must be true. I’ve wasted most of my life.”
The next day, the old sailor rushed to the professor and asked, “Professor, do you know swimology?”
“What’s that, old man?”
“Can you swim?”
The professor looked embarrassed, “I don’t know how to swim.”
“Oh, professor, you’ve wasted your whole life. The ship hit a rock, and it’s sinking. Those who can swim can reach the shore. Those who can’t will drown with the ship.”
This anecdote is shared as part of some meditation (vipassana) retreats by S.N. Goenka, and is one of our favorite anecdote on focusing on doing versus talking.
We all have our Swimologies… Ours was writing. Ours was starting something big, that can impact the life of thousands… Or speaking up. Or learning how to negotiate or stand up for ourselves. For others, it’s about starting their Youtube channel, or blogpost, or writing their first book, or becoming a hobby-composer…
The fascinating part is, that no matter the goal, the path is often uncertain. We find ourselves stuck in analysis paralysis, overthinking every step, and sometimes, not taking any.
In the story of the old sailor and the professor, we see a reflection of our own lives. We’re surrounded by opportunities, but the fear of making the wrong move often paralyzes us.
Setting clear goals is our compass, guiding us through the fog of uncertainty. But how do we avoid getting lost in the analysis and make progress?
The key lies in breaking down our grand goals into smaller, manageable steps. Instead of aiming for a colossal “The worlds most visited channel about cooking food for children,” start with uploading your first engaging video, today. Rather than aspiring to impact thousands, focus on reaching out to 1, who resonates with your message and have a chat, today.
Remember, the path to success is rarely a straight line. Embrace the twists, turns, and uncertainties. Adjust your goals as needed, and don’t be afraid to learn as you go. Taking action, no matter how small, propels us forward and provides valuable insights.
So, the next time you catch yourself drowning in analysis paralysis, take a step back. Break down your goals into bite-sized tasks, set realistic milestones, and most importantly, start doing. Whether it’s writing, starting a YouTube channel, or any other aspiration, the journey begins with that first step.
Your Swimology is unique to you, and the beauty lies in the unpredictability of the journey. Embrace the uncertainty, set your goals, and dive in. After all, the most fulfilling stories are written by those who venture beyond the safety of the shore and into the uncharted waters of their dreams.”
So, what is your swimology?