Friday 3 August 2012

MBA vs Adventure

Many young adults today graduate university or college with high expectations of their value. This makes complete sense, for schools to justify such high tuition fees they must over value the product. I think in a way this has spawned a society of result orientated beings. 'When I get my degree it will get me_______"; instead of "I hope to get ____ out of my degree".  They may sound like the same saying, but they are very different. One incorporates the process, the other focuses on the result. There are so many young adult out there who thought, "When I graduate I will make 6 figures in 5 years, and then I will be able to afford the life I want." Sometimes I guess you need to just start living the life you want and allow the results to come when they decide to. Jennie and I have been going through this transition of the mind; life as the process rather than life as a series of result.

So why sailing. At first we looked at sailing as a result. We need to go from A to B and that is what will make us successful. So far we have buzzed through some of the most beautiful cruising grounds in the world. We missed somethings. Time spent on the boat down here, just chillin has shown me we really achieved our goals. We set out to do something different and can now enjoy the process. We can sail to the San Blas in a month or two or three or 4; it is not about the goal, but to be happy and rested and enjoy our time there. In a way we picked sailing because it is process oriented, and the results are frequent and varied. 

Why take on such a trip and not carry on school to get the better job to make more money to get a better boat............ Yeah well I think you see where this is going. We took what we had, we have energy, youth, smarts. Why would we waste them for two years of school to be no further ahead and much dollars behind. Plus when you walk into an interview for a job, you need to stick out. MBA, MBA, MBA, sailed half way around the world, MBA, MBA..... We chose to step outside the box a bit here. 

Life is also a process, once you start to figure that out, you begin to address the issues that are holding you back from having a good, valuable existence. I think the reason so many people are afraid to step out of the box and live out their dreams is they are scared about what they will find. Reality and dreams are better left separated for those who are goal oriented. Otherwise what is achievement, what justifies your existence and self worth? Is it that you can breath free air, unshackled by societies chains? or is it that you have the most chains in the dungeon? We are beings of our surroundings, and when you remove us from those surroundings what are we? Do we feel we are no longer beings? Not to get to metaphysical here, but what is a good member of society if they are not working on a goal? So many questions, and I have no answers. I guess I will work on these things day by day.

So if you wonder why we decided to go sailing instead of law school or getting an MBA; the answer is simple. We chose to become people of value, not people surrounded by valuables. We chose to be se individuals of substance, not achievers of sustenance.

By the way, life is pretty dull without Jennie lately and we have had pretty monsoonal rains. So Jennie is back in a week and we will try to get things rolling again. I think I might be writing a bit more opinion pieces to keep everyone entertained. This trip is more than just pictures and nice places. Everyone who goes on it wants to find something in themselves. That is part of the journey too.

3 comments:

Bettie del Mar said...

Hey, Dave! Sorry we haven't been by again to alleviate some of your boredom, but we've also been hiding from the rain.

I've thought a lot about what you're talking about in this post, especially in the few years before we left. What is the value of my time? What should I put my energy? Am I being successful? But to be honest, I've left many of those questions behind since we left the States. I just don't contemplate them anymore, except the think, "oh, I used to really think about that."

Now I get to put my thoughts toward the next harbor and toward positive ideas about where I should focus my life. There's just something about this mode of travel that allows young people to come to a better understanding of the hierarchy of importance.

Anyway, I've obviously had too much coffee. Can't wait to see you guys again! And if you get too bored, come visit us in Bocas.

Anonymous said...

Dave sounds like you are getting a little cabin fever? Since I sail mostly alone I know how your feeling, now that I'm back in Miami I wonder sometimes why i came back to the rat race. Sailed to the keys last week, great 10-15 knots behind me just what I needed.
Crazycat

Unknown said...

definite cabin fever