A Pearl of a Book

On my most recent vacation, a driving trip along the East Coast of Canada, I had the opportunity to catch up on some of my reading.  Of particular note was the book A Pearl in the Storm: How I Found my Heart in the Middle of the Ocean, by Tori Murden McClure.

For those not familiar with Ms. McClure, she is not only the first woman to ski over land to the South Pole, but the first woman and first American to row solo across the Atlantic ocean.  A Pearl in the Storm is her recount of her attempt and ultimate successful crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in her rowing boat, The Pearl.  Tori's first attempt to cross the Atlantic was in 1998, at age 35, in her 23 foot plywood boat.  1998 is still on record as the worst hurricane season ever experienced on the North Atlantic.  Multiple hurricanes, gales and storms caused her to abandon her crossing when a series of storms nearly tore apart her boat and killed her.

With no ultimate goal or thought to make another attempt, Tori was struck by the words of Muhammad Ali when he told her... "You don't want to go through life as the woman who almost rowed across the Atlantic".

In 1999, at the age of 36, Tori travelled 2,962 miles in 81 days, in a 23 foot long, 6 foot wide, 1,800 pound rowboat to be the first woman to successfully row solo across the Atlantic.  No, as it turns out, Tori was not content to live out her life under the description of  'almost'.

What 'almosts' are you currently living under?
What goals have you fallen short of achieving - for whatever reason?
Are you content with 'almost' having attained them?
What's stopping you from going after them now?
What actions could you take right now to start you back on your path?

Give it some thought.  Often 'life' gets in the way of our achieving something meaningful, pushing and pulling us off course much like the hurricanes and gales Tori experienced.  In calmer times and seas though, it is up to us to correct our course and renew our efforts.  If it is something that matters then it is something worth doing.

My 'Almost'?  going for my 3rd Degree Black belt in TaeKwondo.  Too busy, too old, too out of shape, too something!  The excuses are gone now though.  I am in training and am making the attempt.  Next Grading is in December.  Let's see if I can wipe out my 'almost'.

What's yours?