In Real Life with Bruno Stocker—More than a Sunday Sailor

“It always seems impossible until it’s done.” – Nelson Mandela?

Impossible is one of those words that’s open for debate. What seems impossible for one person may be an amazing challenge for another, and today’s guest proves that concept beyond compare.??

Bruno Stocker grew up in a nautical family and was the captain of his first sailboat at age 15. Now a senior program manager, Bruno took on the ultimate challenge nearly 20 years ago when he purchased a 76-foot commercial fishing boat and began a labor of love: rebuilding, restoring, and converting it into a pleasure boat. Bruno finished the conversion two years ago—with a rebuilt hull, main bed and bath, galley, and lots of unique features. It was in dry dock for seven years before being relocated back to the water, and he’s since sailed his boat—Steveia, named for his hometown in Switzerland—around the Puget Sound and into the San Juan Islands of Washington state.?

Watch the short video of our conversation to learn more about Bruno and Steveia!

Bruno told me about the ups and downs of taking on such a massive project—failed ideas that turned into something better, learning along the way, and the persistence to keep after it, weekend after weekend, for nearly two decades. I asked him how he stayed motivated to continue—how he knew he would eventually complete his dream project.??

“I learned to look at what I accomplished and not what was in front of me to keep the motivation going. I spent quite a few evenings at home thinking about it and I got frustrated. But I’d look through old pictures and realize I’d come a long way. And thought, ‘I'm making progress, it's moving.’”?

And Bruno hits on a key point of the complexities of large projects, whether at work or for pleasure. Sometimes we’re so mired in the minutia of a project, we lose sight of the fact that we’re moving forward, we are making progress. And eventually, by remaining consistent and persistent, we will prevail.??

Bruno told me he learned a lot about boats—and himself—over the course of this journey. And I wondered, would he do it all over again if the opportunity arose???

“I would do it again. I learned that you don't have to have it all figured out at the beginning. Money will be a question, if you’re doing the right thing will be a question, but it will all work out in the end.”??

Bruno, I admire your persistence and dedication to seeing a dream through to reality. Thank you for sharing your story and I hope you have lots of happy sailing in your future. ?