You are the Captain

There are lot of work to be done in captain.Having the right maps aboard and compass to guide are basic necessity.other requirement are a telescope to see beyond the next wave and thirst for exploration and a hunger for reward.

Wouldn't it be great if everyone applied this? The world would be so much happier!

Thanks for the inspiration. I was just promoted within my non-profit to develop and direct our social media strategy for the entire org. I studied philosophy in college and NEVER thought I'd do this as a career. It was all b/c about a year ago I jumped into social media - not just using the tools, but reading blogs about content and strategy. (I'd like to publically thank YOU, Beth Kanter, and Mashable.) I did this on my own time because it was so fascinating. It ended up landing me a promotion and I wasn't even trying - I was just trying to help my division. I'm a little nervous about the the transition, time to take a year of studying and apply it. Thanks Chris, I felt like a Captain when they announced my promotion last week...

Fantastic post! That is what I love about the economy now! More people than ever will be looking to take control of their lives!

Chris, I love all you be and do!

Its very true that we all sales and marketing proffessionalss go through similar paths in our life.

Those whose see the destination knows how to find the road .

Those who hungry enough will rather find the food the food than die of hunger.

I have applied the same principles in life which is visible in http://pkmukherjee.blogspot.com/

I realized this phenomenon 8 years ago when I was working as an electrician. I was tired of the same thing day in and day out when I started reading about various topics like real estate and marketing.

After 2 years of reading and studying I took the leap of faith into entrepreneurship. I've become the captain of my ship and I've never looked back.

Couldn't say it better. At the same time, don't spend to much time on getting the right map, or a better telescope. Do the first step now, and the journey begins. Most of the stuff that's happens is stuff that's not on the maps anyway, and can't be seen by telescopes.
Prepare just enough so you know your ship won't sink & your crew won't starve and then get going ;-)

Chris, you have just reinforced to me a new philosophy that I have taken on recently!

I've always been the over achiever at work; I set high expectations of myself and meet them, I work very hard because that's what I've always done, and as a result I constantly get angry seeing people sitting on their hands while I'm busy.

My brother told me a philosophy he has that has made me rethink the way I work during the day and centered my focus back onto MY goals.

If the people around me are doing less than me and not being 'managed' to do better, then obviously the company is happy with that level of work. So why do I need to work harder? Especially if it's not what I want to be doing for the rest of my working life? That's wasting valuable time.

So, I've started doing only what I NEED to do at work, without affecting the quality of my work. Very close to the 80/20 theory.
The newly created free time I have made for myself is spent doing what I want to do - and that's writing and building up my blogging experience so that I can eventually work for myself and leave the full time office jobs behind.

Thanks for the remind!

Em

Chris:

Great post. Deep down, I probably realized some of this. However, you put it very well and in a way that really hits home with me. I also enjoyed learning a bit of how you became the captain of your own ship

Chris,
Encouraging words. I talk to people in transition and out of work weekly. It's not up to anyone else. Just me. The journey to captain is lonely, but it doesn't have to be done in isolation. In fact it's better with community!

Growth is never easy but when you have a chance to get what you want! It is all worth it!

i'm the captain
nice read
Way to go :)

Awesome post my man. Its a great reminder for me. Every time I come back from work (cell phone company. haha) its like, I hate doing this. I come back tired and push aside working on my site and my script because I have no energy left. I use up all my energy just telling myself I have the control. This post was another wake up call. Thank you!

We talk about community, we talk about sharing, we talk about teamwork. Sometimes we need to talk about the loneliness of the single agent (ourselves) who, on our own, needs to take that first step to open up, be vulnerable and become an active participant in whatever community or area we choose. The paths we take are paths we, ourselves, create.

Great post, Chris. Keep it up!

Darn right Chris. Im the captain of the Starship Destructoprise. I was in the same boat, being at a job and knowing it wasn't the right thing for me. Emptying all my money on travel, books, and trying to pinpoint exactly was I excelling at. Then social media fell into my lap and a huge light bulb went on.

People always ask me how I get so lucky in life, it's not luck. It's working hard, making connections and being myself. It's been a long, long road of college, work, failure and tons of tears.

Yes, paying for conferences out of own pocket. People think I am crazy as I have heard about events the day before, got a plane, a hotel and just went. But then afterwards they look back on all my pictures and the cool people I met they tell me it's worth it. Is it, as Neil Diamond would say... "Hell yeah, it is..."

-Miss Destructo

@cbrogan Your post is not only right on. It's also very uplifting. When someone is having a hard day, they should remember this advice.

I think the thing I take away from this is the fact that we all need to ensure we have the proper levels of personal responsibility for our lives, the direction(s) it may be going and the outcomes we are expecting.

I have 3 step-children, and two of my own children (aged 19, 18, 17, 9, 8) and one thing I keep trying to instill in them is the simple fact they control what they do and where they go in life. Sure there are always outside variables, obstacles to overcome, but ultimately their success and/or failures depend a very, very large part on their actions, reactions and how those meet their needs, wants and desires.

I look at myself and hope it's a prime example to them - I have been in IT for 14 years, starting right out of high school. At one point I was a contractor to IBM for $36k/yr without one college course taken at all and only being 20 years old. I took my thirst for technology and built it - with many late nights, long days and great effort.

When I realized web development and design was where I wanted to go - I jumped. I ran. I read books, forums, anything I could digest - actually event went to school and am nearing completion of my Bachelors degree in IT emphasizing web development. All that while being a husband, a dad, a step-dad and many other things those callings make one be.

I don't expect my employers to do anything except pay me the agreed upon amount - and any benefits they offer. If there is more, the bonus! Like my current employer - one of the top sports entertainment businesses, The Professional Bull Riders, Inc., is wanting to do some extra training for new technologies for myself and another employee. That is awesome - not expected, not required and surely I do not depend on it being furnished. If I wanted the training, I would have done it myself anyway - that is what I have done before, but if they believe in the direction of the company enough to provide it to better their employees that is one heck of a bonus, right? I think so.

Basically, I took what I loved to do, did what I had to do to learn it, succeed in it and now have a career that has me exposed to many great things. No one handed me anything either - you either do it, or you don't and don't cry when you don't get it given to you without necessary sacrifices.

I feel so inspired. You're amazing. What a great response, Billy.

This is the secret to life.

Being new to the working world, I had a similar thought process, "earn a paycheck, pay off my school debt." At work I was focusing on building up the company's brand, image, and increasing their revenue, but I did little for myself. Thankfully, I woke up one day to this very realization. I need to help myself develop the brand of "me."
I've seen so many people make the mistake of just working for the paycheck and end up stuck in a job they're tired of. Hopefully starting early in my career with this new mentality, I won't end up in that same position.

It can be great to develop the brand of a company, too, provided you're doing that with purpose. The only thing that sucks is when you're just doing the hours and cahsing the checks without making sure that's where you want your energy to go.

Chris,

I can't help but notice the parallels between being the Captain of your own Ship and living the American Dream. I love it. :)

The one thing I'm big on right now is reflection. After the course has been set and the storms have pushed you around a bit, knowing where you are and how far you've come can help give you the drive to keep going, to keep pushing, to keep squeezing that lemon.

Enjoying the journey is easy to forget to do, but an important part of being in charge of yourself.

This is so true and so important to be reminded of from time to time. It's easy to get pulled down when you're unhappy with your situation or feel like you're not going in the direction you'd like to be. The difference you'll make when you finally take control of your own path is amazing. Thanks for the reminder, Chris!

Learning is the work of life. That's what I tried to teach my students when I was still teaching. Now I am learning to be something else and I do have map.

Chris ... dude! ... right on ... you hit the nail on the proactive head my friend ... I've been saying the same thing now for about 2 years or so ( at least to myself ) just with a different metaphor ... it happened to come to me, surprisingly or not, when I was working within the belly of the beat @ Monster ...

One day, in conversation w/ some folks, half jokingly and half w/ complete + utter belief and metaphysical certainty, I blurted out ( now, this was midconversation about something I could elaborate on more in person @ a later day ), 'That's alright! No worries ... I know that ultimately we're all the CEO of our own career in life' ...

I have to admit, I was being a little theatrical, extremely passionate, and a perhaps a smidgen of a jerk ( jerkFace, jerkOff, whatever flavour of jerkishness you want to assign me ... I have had my grand episodes of grand jerkitude my friends, I'll admit it, learn from it and move on ) ... but in the end, its the truth ... the honest to gosh darn it truth ... you're not gonna get anywhere putting trust in your career and where it may or may not be going without grabbin' the wheel and puttin' pedal to meddle ...

Dream it up. Close your eyes tight my friends and run full force, headlong into what you love ... you will NOT regret it ;]

I love this, Lou. Always glad to see your thoughts here. Thanks for sharing with me and the rest of the community.

This post will really hit home with the majority of your readers. As a person who has created a number of businesses, some successful some not so much, I am currently undertaking a new venture in unexplored waters, pun intended. Sometimes I feel a bit overwhelmed and have to ask myself, "is it worth it?" Then I come across posts such as yours and it reaffirms in my mind that I am absolutely making the right decision. We will never never know what we are capable of unless we attempt to charter those unknown waters and command our own vessel during the voyage - you are absolutely right. Thanks, Captain Chris!

We can go to our graves unspent and untested, or we can go there looking like we tackled as much of the world as we could get our hands on. I know how I'm going out. : )

In the US military, a Captain is above 20 or so other ranks, but still below a Major, a Lieutenant Colonel, a Colonel, a Brigadier General, a Major General etc. ...

And on a boat, a captain commands the vessel to carry out the commands of the larger organization.

We all answer to someone. This much never changes, even when we work for ourselves.

This analogy really strikes a chord with me because in my case rising up and taking command of my life litterally means becoming captain of my own ship. If all goes well, in October 2012 my family and I will be setting sail for a circumnavigation.

Thanks for brightening my morning!

So true. It is sad to see, though, that most people don't take responsibility for their lives. They simply keep going waiting for things to happen. I'd rather move 1 millimeter towards my goal than 5 kilometers towards an unknown destination.

Well stated. We need to get over ourselves and just do it!

There is no substitute for setting goals, and accepting personal responsibility to achieve them to the best of your ability.

You have crafted a clever post that, if shared and assimilated by middle school children and beyond, would serve us all well to raise the level of productivity in this country.

Way too many people are willing to point fingers and cast blame on others for their own shortcomings. We need to self educate throughout our lives to fully develop our talents and stay bright and active. Thanks for a sharp post.

Once you take control of your own career success you can get where every you want.
You also need to recognize that doing good work, alone, is not enough. That is not taking control of your career...You also need to create positive visibility for your results. this is not about ugly politics, it is about building your credibility and relevance. And then you need to build a network of support. Biggest career boost: Get Mentors!

Hi I've taken the step and set sail on my own ship together with my business partner. Instead of calling thousands of people we select two companies a week that we would like to work with. We look at their current marketing and think about how we could improve upon it. Collectively we've worked in marketing, PR and advertising for 26 years and we are educated to degree level.

For the first time we feel alive and have learned more about putting all our skills in to practice over the last three months than ever before. So far we have gained 4 new clients with 2 pitches coming up in August. Our web site and blog is nearly ready to start shouting about. Biography films pending test shots live and looking a bit pale at the moment!

We have a plan and we plan to succeed. http://bit.ly/13LaVk

Thanks for the post and for the inspiration.

Nicola

I love your model. 2 a week. Very reasonable. Not so grind-y.

This is a really great post and I hope that more and more people read it. I believe that this mindset is even more relevant to adults. Speaking personally, after college where I played a sport and excelled academically, I had no one to push me anymore. No coach, no teammates, not anyone. After two years of doing what I "thought" I wanted to do, I decided to be the captain of my own ship which also involved a 54% pay cut, loss of great benefits, and a company car. I went to work for a start up, got my MBA, and made networking a priority. Now, I am much happier in my position.

As an adult, no one will push you to run farther or perform better. You are the master of your own domain.

This is EXACTLY the story, Miguel.

This post reminded me of one of my all time favorite songs. 'The Captain' by Guster.

"It's simple, so says the Captain. Face forward, move slow, forge ahead"

Thanks for sharing your story.

We are presently teaching students at the college level about personal branding and social media tools. The first hurdle is getting them to take ownership of their careers and intern their brands. The Captain analogy works well. Hope you don't mind if I use it in class.

Patti- I don't write all this stuff for myself. I write it for you. Take all you want. Just spell my links right. : )

Thanks for the post. I just took a very big leap with my small business and have been reiterating this point over and over in my head for the past few weeks (as I simultaneously try to suppress the anxiety of now having two other people's livelihoods dependent on my own ability to succeed).

Needed the encouragement!

I freak about that very point all the time. If *I* starve, I can work harder. If I kill someone else's life... well that sucks.

Chris,

When we did research for our book, Career Distinction, we set out to learn what made some people wildly successful and one of the four things these people had in common is that they actively managed their own careers (and had no expectations of their managers or HR doing that).

Decades ago, when you worked for one company for 30 years and then retired, your company managed your career for you.

Today's environment is different. It's easy to get lost in the countless emails and voicemails and meetings ... and years can go by without you noticing. In the new world of work, you need to be thinking about your career every day with everything you do - asking yourself regularly "How is this going to help me reach my goals?"

Thanks for the great reminder, Chris. I hope it makes people sit back today and think a little more about their goals and their careers.

Best.
William
www.reachcc.com

I love it, William. I'm sure your book does wonders for people. Thanks for sharing your perspective, especially about the way jobs used to be.

It may be some time before someone is finally ready to venture out on their own. But, as you strongly suggest, the preparation time beforehand should be invested with building skills, knowledge, and contact - not just drifting without a rudder. Maybe we don't quite know what shape our own ship will be, and what exact direction we'll take, but as long as we're learning "captain" skills, we'll be ready when it's time to launch. Took me 'til my mid-40's before I was ready, but the hunger was there many years leading up to it...

There's never a right time to leave port. That's for damned sure. Just do it when you feel closest to it.

Great post Chris. Sometimes we just need to be reminded that we must take control of our lives if we ever want to achieve the things we know we can. Great stuff, thanks!

You also need a solid crew to get you where you're going.

Always true, but remember: a captain can run a small solo sailboat, too.

Just wanted to say right on Chris. It took me a long time to realize this - somehow I was always waiting for someone to give me a chance to show how brilliant I was - I mean that's how it worked in the past. Times change. You rock.

I wouldn't say no one, your parents should care and think about how to motivate you and move you and move you from where you are to where you want to go. At least good parents do that :)

Anyway, nice point.

You just hit it, though. "should" care. Don't count the fact that both you and I had great parents as proof that all/most/some parents are living with their kids' interests at heart.

Chris, I really appreciated your post, not only because of the stunning ship imagery that most people can relate to, but because of the whole idea of self-responsibility. We have to take control of our work and life. I like everything you are saying and I would go even one step further. With the Invisible Mentor concept that I am always refining, and with information at your fingertips, you can choose anyone to mentor you. All you have to do is study the person, learn about their philosophy in life, ideas, models or concepts they might have developed. And with everything, be discriminating, do not accept everything you read, every information you consume. Apply rigor to your thinking. Make sure that you know where your ship is going and have the right maps to take you there. And if you veer off course your compass will alert you.

Thanks again fro the great post.

I'm happy that it worked for you. : )

wow...truely, we are masters of our own ship called life!! and it depends on us entirely how beautiful the sailing could be...thanks for the wonderful realisation.

Regards,
ritika

Oh, no! does that mean no-one is coming to rescue me boo-hoo (:-). I think the realisation that one is the captain is both depressing (oh, not I have to do the work MYSELF!) and deliciously liberating (hey, I get to CHOOSE) . But we do need the help and co-operation of others to go where we want to go. Someone else has made the maps and compass and how can our journey add value for others?

That's when you're ready to join or lead a fleet. My feeling is that it comes later. We have to captain our ship first. : )

Great post, Chris.
My own version for that is - Give yourself one-sentence-answer to these 5 questions:
1. What are we doing?
2. Why are we doing it?
3. How we do what we do?
4. What is the value we create?
5. What we learn along the journey?
If these five sentence combine together to a logic and coherent paragraph, you ar on the righ direction, go full speed ahead.

That's very well done. I like it.

Chris,

Love the post! Reminds me of when I worked for my family business. While my dad was the "Admiral" and "Captain" of that fleet (30+ employees & at one point 6 vessels), I often enjoyed playing the part of the First Officer. As we decided to sell our company, I was deciding what I wanted to do next... I wanted to start my own company where the role of "Captain" would be mine.

So, as I set sail on my own businesses, rather than just being the Captain, I found myself being the CCBW (Chief, Cook and Bottle Washer) oh, and a lot of the times the "Fireman" as well.

I have enjoyed my journey across the entrepreneur-"ship" sea, and this "Captain" has seen many ups and downs along the way.

As far as your four questions go... I'd maybe ask a fifth: Are you sailing in the right ship?

Reason being, if you are not doing what you love questions one through three really do not matter.

Thanks for the post... Cap'n!

Doc

That's a pretty darned good fifth question, Doc. Always good to get other people's perspective. : )

It's interesting to see how many people are content to just be. To stay where they are and not put much effort into improving, growing, learning, expanding.

Here's to teaching others how to be a Captain!!

http://twitter.com/franswaa

Specific to that point, I used to want to teach others to be captains. I used to try really hard to get people at the office to swallow the red pill (switching analogies to The Matrix, because hey, I can). But no. Too many are very willing to be mates on someone else's ship.

Fine by me. They have their own way.

Agreed. I still try. Not sure when I'll learn my lesson. It's a tough
spot to be in especially when you are trying to build something or make
something happen and some folks around you are stubborn, resist or, as
you say, are content to be mates on someone else's ship. At the end of
the day we can't control others. All we can do is change ourselves.

Here's to being a captain, loving your mates and being observant enough
to find those that aspire to be a captain some day.

Amen! I've learned this lesson along the way and it sticks with me. Thanks for the kick in the butt.

Hey Chris,

Wow.

Huge insight in this post. I've been looking over my ship a lot lately and it's moving along very well, but not as quickly as I would like it to move. Any suggestions for ways to take a ship (an Internet business that's doing very well (by most people's standards)) and throw some giant motors on the back?

Thanks again for the post.

Warmest,

Jonathan
http://www.ThreeMoneyMethods.com

Let's say you had motors. They would get you to a destination faster. But it would also be uncontrollable. Your growth might be so rapid that you shoot past the goal and into an unplanned shoal (a diversion, or a different revenue end).

Rapid growth isn't always bad, but it's rarely sustainable.

The better questions you might ask yourself are:

* Is this still the right ship? (Should I grow into something bigger?)
* Would I do better with a fleet of ships?

I'm guessing, in your part, that the second question holds your answer. Branch out with more people, and/or find some synergy with others.

Thank-you Chris.

I feel like I've successfully figured out how to sail differently than others (which is a good thing because based on what I've seen, 90-95% of people don't really have what they want in life). But in doing so, it's like I have become very separated from the fleet of ships moving across the ocean.

I have become my own captain. I don't mind that so much, and I rather enjoy it, but I do find it difficult to reach like-minded people who are willing to take action on what they want to accomplish.

I guess I'm still looking for my sailing group. There are moments and times where I feel like I'm working with others to create something great, and other times where I feel really alone in what I want to accomplish, and feel really cynical about others' willingness to take actions and make changes that make a difference.

I feel like maybe I lack the skills or experience or charisma to be part of that group... that's not really it. I feel confident in my abilities, but why work so hard to share "good news" with others, when 80% of them who say they want "good news" will offer excuses about not having time to make changes, and would rather watch the nightly news and program their minds that way? And how do I find the 20% who really will make a difference, without being overrun and bombarded (and torpedoed) by the 80%?

I don't really know what the solution is there. And I keep looking for an answer to something that doesn't really have an answer.

Jim Rohn would say "Don't be perplexed by the perplexed. It's perplexing."

You're right... moving faster isn't necessarily the solution. I just sometimes think that if I move faster, I'll get "there" quicker. As you've rightly pointed out, maybe... maybe not... Lots of variables there.

I'm definitely looking for my tribe... my fleet.

I of course have friends and connections who want to see me succeed, and within the business, there are a few people who I've come to rely on in working on projects and outsourcing work to (after wading through SO many people who haven't done what they said they would do).

I want a bigger tribe. I want more connections. I just know that most of the people I connect with won't end up being part of the fleet, because they simply won't take action on the information they receive, and won't take action on what they want in life.

I will continue to work on finding more synergy with more people. I think that is powerful advice. Any suggestions from your own experience on how to go about doing so?

Thank-you again for your insight, and for making the time to respond.

Warmest,

Jonathan

Wow! Loved this one. Way to go, Cap'n Brogan!

It can be so damn easy to fall into to complacent cycle of working paycheck to paycheck. Nice to have a little reality check and a heads up. Thanks Chris.

That's EXACTLY the biggest problem we face. If we sit still, we're helping no one.

That is a brilliant post! Thanks for your thoughts.
Bryan

Awesome!

So true. We are in control of our own lives. I tell clients that all the time,'Get out there and take control of your career!' If we sit around and wait for people to 'help us', we'll be waiting a long, long time.

Great post, Chris!

As a father of three kids (11, 9, and 16 months), the most important advice I can give to my children is the understanding of the elements of this post. It's all about taking responsibility for the quality of your life. A radical departure for the masses, but in this age of free agency and job insecurity, those who wish to even simply survive need to look at themselves as business people and not as employees.

Welcome to the new reality.

Thanks for the post!

Happy to help, Dad. How come you're not writing over at Dadomatic.com?