I Hope My Ship Comes In Before The Dock Rots…
Jamie, the girls,and I recently made the drive from the Lakes Region of New Hampshire to Ocean City New Jersey. My parents live in Philadelphia and Jamie has family in both South and Central New Jersey. So beyond Ocean City, NJ being one of our favorite “quick summer getaways” when we lived in Philadelphia and Barnegat it was an easy way to allow any family who wanted to see us, visit without taking the long drive to “The Granite State.” The girls had a blast on the rides and the boardwalk. Julia wants to move back to NJ so we can “go on the rides every night!”
While browsing around one of the many boardwalk shops I saw a novelty item that really caught my eye and made me think a little. (enough to write this article). It was one of those little display pieces that you hang on the wall with a cute saying on it. The saying that caught my eye and made me think was…
“I hope my ship comes in before the dock rots.”
How many people do you know are waiting for their ship to come in? More importantly, what ships are you waiting for?
To some extent we are all “waiting” for the right time to do something. I don't care how “successful” you may be. I just think that people who get more accomplished in their lives are simply waiting for less ships, therefor the math works in the favor. They've just figured out that if they wait too long the dock will rot because the truth is… No ship is coming!
I am not sure what the analogy should be… Do we spot our ship and then jump in the water and swim to it? Do we charter our own? Pick the one that fits you best. Either way the lesson is…
Go make something happen! Move toward your dreams and goals.
As a still relatively new parent I often catch myself dangerously saying to myself, “When the kids get older I will….” Of course there's some practicality to that thinking. Jamie and I can't just head off to the Bahamas by ourselves without first carefully considering who'd be in charge while we were gone. But when the girls are older, why not??
The danger for us parents is when we wait too long to pursue certain goals. What I have found is that when I go forward and work on or do something that I thought would not be possible 'now' because of the girls is that things do work out and everyone benefits.
Yes, you are correct! Parents do have to wait a little for certain things. But when it comes to your dreams, your goals or anything else just begin to move forward a little a time. It can be the most simple of things… Maybe you'd like to do martial arts or play a sport that you haven't played since you were a kid. Maybe you'd like to write that book that's inside of you. Make time for it and start a little a time. Other wise - your dock just may rot!
Mike Dolpies (AKA- Mike D.) is the author of the forthcoming book Motion Before Motivation, The Success Secret That Never Fails. He spent 10 years as the owner and operator of a professional martial arts school. He now helps martial arts business owners achieve their own dreams and goals through his coaching. He has interacted with 1000’s of kids and parents over the years. He has helped his clients and their children achieve greater amounts of self-confidence, self-esteem, fitness and self-discipline. He is the publisher of “Raising Real Winners, The Audio Magazine of Successful Parenting.” www.raisingrealwinners.com/nh You can learn more at www.askmiked.com
Filed under Parents Connecting To Children, Raising Parents, Raising Real Winners by mdolpies
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Comments on I Hope My Ship Comes In Before The Dock Rots… »
This saying brings back memories from my childhood. I heard a number of adults say they were waiting for their ships to come in.
Now that I'm all grown up I believe that the best way to ensure that your ship comes in is to launch one. Expecting something to materialize without your input can indeed lead to a lifetime sitting on a rotting deck.
When my children were young I contemplated how best to time following my dreams and going after my goals. We decided that we couldn't wait, so we proceeded, but put our children in the heart of our plans.
Whatever stage my children were in, we wrapped our endeavors around that stage. I've always enjoyed writing and shooting pictures. So, when my children were young I wrote and submitted their pictures to publications for parents.
I decided to return to graduate school when my oldest two were 5 and 2. I became pregnant the second year of my doctoral studies. When my son was born, I read from my textbook instead of nursery stories. He was delighted.
Although fiction writing isn't my strength, I wrote stories for my youngsters, and encouraged them to do the same.
When I wanted to start a tutoring program, my children were clients and assistants. Later, when I wanted to start a gift basket business, my children helped with designing, stocking, and delivery.
There were some things I did postpone until they were older, like going to Disneyland, for example. Everybody had to be potty trained and walking before I consented to tackle an amusement park.
But I urge parents not to postpone their dreams and goals until some distant future. Involve your children in your dreams and goals and it will benefit them and you in many ways.