The Captain-Ship Story Analogy for Your Life’s Journey (aka the Analogy that Changed my Life!)

I was in an emotional frenzy the other day. Trying to make decisions for my life and for my business, Project Passport. It felt overwhelming thinking about all of the options and directions I could take, therefore I was starting to get paralyzed in the fears of “what if” and "FOMO." My fiancé, Taylor, changed EVERYTHING for me with one simple analogy and I hope this changes everything for you too.

When you are feeling overwhelmed and you do not know where to turn, this story analogy will be what can help you rethink your situation and it will help turn the tide for the better.

Welcome to the Captain’s Ship! All Aboard!

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The Ship and the Captain (You)

Every single person is a captain of their own ship.

Every person has a boat.

I must be honest here. Every boat is not created equally. Some people have really fancy and fast motors as these boats were passed down to them from the captains before them. Some people have really small rafts that can barely stay afloat, created out of scraps and random items to hopefully keep them from falling apart. Some people have kayaks where they are putting so much effort and energy to row through the tides that it exhausts them. Some people have cruise ships or yachts where they move really slow but they are having a blast as they make their way to their destination while partying. Some people are just riding their own solo jet ski into the sunset. Others have the standard boat with the average features.

Every ship has a special combination of design and logistical factors to function as the core life traveling vessel to the captain (YOU). Over the years, captains continue to upgrade and up-skill their ships, however it takes time and proper decision-making to add these new developments. When done incorrectly due to lack of experience or when done too hastily, ships break down and slow the entire journey. Each captain is beautifully prepared and skilled to guide their ships with grace, but they have to learn new techniques and tools along the way through experiences and lessons. They have the eye and the vision to determine how to best direct the boat through the uncertain, wild, yet beautiful waters.

You and your boat - Project Passport LLC

The Crew (Empowering or Disempowering People)

Every person has a unique fingerprint to be able to steer and drive their boat. Captains cannot drive another person’s boat as it is programmed only to respond to the sole owner. However, in the potential instance that someone “hacks the system,” then one can lose control and become a passenger to their own ship! This leads to a “Mayday!” as you are completely thrown off your intended path. By the time the captain regains control of their ship, they have to re-chart the path to their destination and re-align themselves with their goals.

In addition to hackers, captains do have helpful crewmates that occasionally leave their own ships to join theirs. They are there to help repair the sails or to provide a little companionship as they sail the quiet seas together. The crewmate can also be the person that hops onto the boat with a life raft if the captain needs it while in distress. They can be invaluable contributors to the journey. Captains can temporarily become crewmates for other captains and also share their own crewmates between captains if others agree upon it. At times, the crew reassures the captain that their destination is coming soon, not to worry, and they encourage them to keep hope alive on the journey. While the crew cannot be there every second of the day on the ship, they are there when the captain needs them most.

You, the crew, and your boat - Project Passport LLC

The Destination (Your Destiny, Your Dreams)

This brings us to the destination.

Everyone has a distinct destination.

No captain shares a destination with another captain, as their ship is programmed to take them where they want to go. This destination has a variety of possibilities and treasures that are uniquely relevant to the captain, their desires, and their inner spirit. The biggest thing to know is that the destination is as far as the eye can see, where the sky meets the ocean.

“Captains will not necessarily know they have arrived until they KNOW they have arrived.”

However, the direction is always where the sky meets the water in the distance as the guiding beacon, but also a journey or two away. Destinations can change if the captain realizes they want to take a new course, however the process remains the same to get there. Some captains have multiple destination checkpoints and that is okay too.

Photo by Jonathan Bean on Unsplash

The Pirates (Negative People)

No good ship journey happens without pirates!

These pirates (once captains themselves) can be complete soul-suckers as they hop onto the victim ship to steal away any resources they can find for their own ships. Little do they realize, most of the things they steal do not fit the same specifications as their own ship. Yet, they attempt to destroy other captains and their ships thinking this will get them closer to their own destinations. However, they do not understand that the charted path they have on their ship is not blocked or controlled by another captain. They may cross paths but there is no conflict in destination arrival capabilities. The captains’ sail patterns are different so, the pirates are wasting their time fighting another ship, taking time away from their own ship. Evolving into creatures of disruption and despair, these ocean monsters captains must avoid.

You, the crew, and your boat vs. the pirates - Project Passport LLC

Storms (Uncontrollable Circumstances)

There are storms that will hit the ship and they will hit it hard. The ship will whip and wave. Sometimes the sails will crack in half. There may even be some holes in the boat. The storms are oftentimes unexpected and can even throw the ship off track for a period of time. At times, the storms are so bad that the captains do not think they will make it out alive.

However, there is a safety backup system in the ship fueled by HOPE, and it allows the captain to get the ship to the closest island for recovery purposes. The storms may tear the ships apart but the captains have the ability to act and recover if they just give themselves time and patience to do so. There is no need for a stranded SOS call as there is a recovery point near.

You, the crew, and your boat vs. the pirates and/or the storms - Project Passport LLC

The Islands (Recovery Centers, Distractions, and Opportunities)

In the case of storms, pirate attacks, or simple times of needed rest, captains may have to anchor at the nearest island. These islands are mysterious because they can be full of angry tigers or then can be saddled in food, money, and resources. The islands can have rebel people wanting all captains to leave and find their own resources elsewhere or they can have leftover parts from other ships for the captain to utilize for their own repairs. The islands can also be shrouded in fog with mischievous creatures making you forget why you were there in the first place; distractors that keep you hostage for years! The islands can have villages of people happy to help the captain repack their bags and prepare for their continued journey to the horizon.

Every island has a different experience to provide and an individual story to tell.

The islands can bring heaven or hell to the captain.

Therefore, the captain must choose islands wisely. Evaluating them as much as possible on the map and even doing a survey before arrival if they are able to. Some islands keep the captain busy for far too long, while other islands are just the pitstop the captain needed to thrive forward. The captain may get lucky on occasion to meet the perfect crewmate to add to their ship or they may find just the part they need to help their ship move a little bit faster.

“Opportunity or distraction?” This is the question the captain may ask themselves as they pass and approach the millions of islands along the sea journey. Captains must not stop too often or too long, thus they may never arrive to their desired destination in fair time. They must commit to stopping only when the times are right and when proper rest or repair breaks are needed.

The captain may just need to cruise through the water and lay on the boat floor watching the sun beam down overhead, no judgement or expectations— just being.

You, the crew, and your boat vs. the pirates and/or the storms with the island checkpoint - Project Passport LLC

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The Journey

While the journey has many mysteries, many obstacles, and many uncertainties, it is worth taking because the captain is brave and carries all the qualities they need to reach their destination. Every captain is uniquely equipped and already knows how to drive their boat. Every captain has their own proper protocol of travel. They learn new tips to become efficient as they go. Their may be path crosses and overlaps at occasional points between pirates or other fellow captains, however the ultimate paths are still of one’s own— An ocean road only that designated captains can travel.

Every ship has it’s own GPS.

The Journey- Project Passport LLC

The question I ask you today is where are you right now, captain? Are you on an island? Are you the pirate? Have you caused a mutiny on your own ship? Are you in a storm? No matter where you are or what you are doing, you have the ability to get back on track. You have the ability to reprogram the destination. You have the chance to reach you ocean-sky connection. You just have to put your hands on the steer or oars, and get going. Dust the boat off, pull up the anchor, and scream: “ONWARD!”

Inspired by Taylor Charles?

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Project Passport is a proactive mental wellness company that aims to bring mental wellness retreats, workshops and other services to company teams. We also help women create joy in their lives every step of the way. To learn more about our company retreats and services, click here. To learn more about our tribe community for women, click here. Our travel retreats will resume in the future as the world reopens.