My favorite summer vacations with my family was when we rented a boat and island hopped through the British Virgin Islands (BVI). We slept on the boat and enjoyed the unique family time away from touristy areas. There aren’t words to describe the beautiful sunrises or the breathtaking sunsets we were blessed to view or the wonderful memories we made on those trips that we will hold forever in our hearts and minds. Each day, I would have the opportunity to drive the boat giving my husband, Steve, a short break to review navigation maps or just to take a rest. I loved feeling like I was Captain of the ship. What a difference those boat trips made for my family and for me.
Delta
In the mornings, I would sit on the top of the boat and watch the sunrise as I drank my coffee and listened to my iPod. One of my favorite songs to listen to was, “Delta” by Crosby, Stills, and Nash. David Crosby was the songwriter, but I read that he credits Jackson Browne for providing the encouragement and support for him to finish writing the song. Crosby was experiencing a tough time in his life and Browne stood by and demonstrated what any coach would do - provide support and accountability in tough times and help him achieve what he wanted for his end results.
Deep, Blue Waters
Through the deep, blue waters, the navigation maps served as my family's compass each day and helped us arrive safely at our next destination in the BVI. The lyrics of Delta has been one of the things, which navigated me as I have traveled deep, blue waters in life that often moved rather swiftly. During more difficult life situations this song was a compass through a career change, my in-laws passing away, and having a stranger become a friend and become a stranger again. Delta also helped with less complicated things like before I tried water aerobics, do any trainings or presentations, and when I coach a client. Listening to the lyrics of the song helps me balance and center myself.
Three-Legged Stool
I never researched to discover why David Crosby named that song, but I was curious and researched what the word Delta meant. In short, it is the fourth letter of the Greek alphabet and a piece of land shaped like a triangle. This led me to think how a triangle has three sides. Immediately, I thought of a colleague who uses the metaphor of a three-legged stool as a way to suggest how to fix a poor performer. The model is named, The Three-Legged Stool of Great Performance™. Now, it is easy to see that any three-legged stool must be in balance or it will fall over. The legs on my colleague’s model are Skill, Will, and Focus. I use the metaphor of a three-legged stool as well. The Three-Legged Stool of Personal Power. The legs of my stool are named Beliefs, Feelings, and Behaviors.
Our beliefs, feelings and behaviors can
Limit us
Expand us
Bring us discomfort
Bring us peace
One way I have found to reclaim or maintain the power of my beliefs, feelings and behaviors is to limit the ones that hold me back and access the ones that give me power to have what I want.
We all receive what we have because of our choices and we make our choices from what we believe and feel. We always have a choice.
What beliefs, feelings and behaviors prevent you from being the captain of your ship?