I was reminded recently of an email that came across my desk, “All Boats Leak” by Seth Godin.
Intriguing. You see, I am on an extended boat trip, we are living on our boat fulltime now. “All Boats Leak” is not in our lexicon. All boats do not leak. Our boat does not leak.
You don’t want a leaky boat when you are in deep water. So I had to open this email. All boats leak by Seth Godin
There’s always a defect, always a slow drip, somewhere. Every plan, every organization, every venture has a glitch.
The question isn’t, “is this perfect?” The question is, “will this get me there?”
Sometimes we make the mistake of ignoring the big leaks, the ones that threaten our journey.
More often, though, we’re so busy fixing tiny leaks that we get distracted from the real goal, which is to get somewhere.
I was thinking literally and Seth, as usual, was thinking metaphorically. He is right too. “There is always a defect, always a slow drip, somewhere.” It is a concept worth exploring for job seekers.
Every job seeker needs a plan. Without a plan you just flounder around wasting energy. You don’t get anywhere. At least with a plan you have a valid chance of finding the job you want. Your plan outlines your goal and the tactics you plan to use to achieve the goal. Your plan is as detailed as you want it to be.
Seth’s point is valid. Every plan probably has a hidden defect somewhere. You don’t create a glitch on purpose. You don’t want a leaky boat. Until it does. Then what do you do?
The measure of a person is not making a mistake (getting a leak in the boat). It is what he or she does with it that really counts.
How do you react to problems and distractions – or leaks if you will? Do you beat yourself up and throw in the towel? Or do you figure out how to respond and go forward anyway? Fix the leak and start again.
Small leaks can be just as distracting as big leaks and often turn into big leaks if neglected. So you have to pay attention to what is going on around you. Adjust to the subtle messages you pick up about leaks, distractions, and roadblocks that must be acknowledged and accounted for.
