Boat used by Amyr Klink during the crossing of the Atlantic in 1984 - Photo: Cubatão City Hall
The great navigator Amyr Klink inspired me a lot with his adventures.
Today I am going to escape a little from the themes that I usually write to talk about the year 2020. Although many have made predictions and philosophies about, I believe that my contribution can help those who have not yet managed to find themselves in front of everything that happened.
I had the idea of writing this text when I was attending a lecture by Amyr Klink, a great navigator, who inspired me a lot with his adventures. Resilient man, whose extraordinary deeds put him in a level of exclusivity, which few will achieve.
Watching his lecture, I remembered a lot of his books and, in particular, one of them: “A hundred days between the sky and the sea”, the first I read and the most remarkable. What caught my attention the most were the most lonely moments of the adventure. The sea is something old, mysterious and that demands respect from the navigators. On that journey, it was possible to perceive the search for a man who fought against all possible adversities to be alone, with the sea and everything that involved him. I always wondered what he would have felt at some of those times. The answer found was that everything took up his time, after all, it was necessary to maintain the boat, count supplies, route measurements, etc.
In calm, in rest, the feeling could be something without a name, without translation.
The past year and the lessons of the sea
The Year 2020, for many of us, was not just a year of losses, it was not a year about a pandemic, it was a year about ourselves. It was the journey of our generation, the great adventure, the fiction that came true. We saw things that we imagined only in the movies and, in the end, in silence, when no one was looking, we met again and found who we really are. Amyr commented in his lecture that when we have a calm, we have inefficiency. When we have only what we need and experience situations of high pressure, we have to save resources, we are vigilant, attentive. Hearing this, I was not surprised by some speeches from business friends, commenting on a difficult year, but with good results.
The lessons of Amyr's stories are very simple, all it takes is time, planning and work.
Realizing it can take time
Realizing some plans can take time, as long as you are working hard. The bigger the dream, the project, the goal, the longer the time needed, and the phases will be long. We live in a generation that likes quick results when it is sometimes more important to know who you will become in the process, until you have completed your goals. Keep in mind that some things may need to take as long as you are in constant motion and have a view of the whole.
Take the first step
Sometimes, we are afraid to take the first step in search of something that we really want, because comfort ends up being more attractive, an auto-boycott. The culture of motivation does not help in this regard. Logically, motivation is something that can help in the beginning of a plan, of building a goal, but it doesn't last forever. If you have a dream, if you need to do something, you will need to do it simply because you have made a commitment to yourself. Don't think too much, do it, don't depend on motivation all the time, just depend on your discipline.
Prepare yourself a lot
You can do anything, as long as you prepare a lot. Your life is not just about completing your goal. During the learning and preparation process, you transform, and your life takes on a breath. Reading Amyr Klink's books, I realized that, in the execution of his plans, he met people, techniques, concepts, studied and went through situations that he did not expect, among them, frustrations and joys. When you do something that will impact your destiny, your personal legend, you change and live experiences that will be important to you. Perhaps this is more relevant than your own goals. This is living.
You are your best company
Even if you are alone, you are not. In one of his interviews, Amyr comments that, in the city, we have running water, electricity, a supermarket, people around us and that he found himself completely alone when, on one of his trips, he realized that he depended exclusively on him for a living. It turns out that many of us feel alone even though we are full of people around us. This pandemic only increased this feeling. What few took advantage of was the power of solitude to grow, evolve and look within. Many people, in this pandemic, took advantage of the fact that they could not go out for leisure, see friends, etc., to exercise, study, take courses and make plans. Make yourself a good company.
Stay away from negative people
Your plans and goals only matter to you. The most successful people I know are reserved, they enjoy the benefits of their victories, but they do not flaunt them to anyone. Having your own plans and goals for yourself is also an act of self-love and confidence in your potential. Validate your ideas only with people who have already been through what you are about to go through. People who have been successful in their plans and are role models for you. Planning means mitigating risks This is something that I realize that Amyr does all the time. Always have a plan A, B and C. Consider the victory, but avoid problems and have redundancies in your critical points. Write down your 2021 goals, take a step-by-step approach to achieve each of your goals, the risks involved and review each week.
Be disciplined and keep in mind that your personal development impacts on all areas of your life.
Erick Beltrami
