Feeling LOST

In case you haven’t realized this by now…this blog is pretty much my way to vent and share my life as a brand owner, entrepreneur, dad and husband trying to ‘figure it all out’, while enjoying another trip around the sun.

Snoloha has evolved since it’s inception.  I’ve had doors opened up as a result of this brand, and some that have been slammed in my face.  It’s been humbling, exciting, stressful as hell, tiring, fun, draining, motivating, busy and fulfilling.

It continues to be one giant roller-coaster ride.

Somedays, I think…maybe I should get out of my own way, dummy the brands (Snoloha and Unsalted Sailing) down and appeal to the masses.  Why not hop on the bandwagon that everyone else hops on to make a few quick bucks?!

Then I realize I just am not wired that way.  For some reason I cannot for the life of me bring myself to take a shortcut and market to what I call the “Homer Simpson’s” of the world.  Some may say I’m a stubborn, close-minded moron who refuses to compromise and take criticism in order to appeal to a larger audience.

They’re right.

Appealing to the masses is not what drives me.  Shortcuts and laziness are not what drives me.

So what does?

Heres’ an excerpt from the Steve Jobs biography that sums it up perfectly:

“What drove me?  I think most creative people want to express appreciation for being able to take advantage of the work that’s been done by others before us.  I didn’t invent the language or mathematics I use.  I make little of my own food, none of my own clothes.  Everything I do depends on other members of our species and the shoulders that we stand on.  And a lot of us want to contribute something back to our species and to add something to the flow.  It’s about trying to express something in the only way that most of us know how — because we can’t write Bob Dylan songs or Tom Stoppard plays.  We try to use the talents we do have to express our deep feelings, to show our appreciation of all the contributions that came before us, and to add something to that flow.  That’s what has driven me.”

On a recent sailing trip, I found a few moments to relax and reflect…on this brand, on Unsalted Sailing, on Bay Breeze, on my consulting work.  What did I realize?

I’ll let Swim Skinny sum it up:

“I’ve got a thousand miles behind me
I’ve got a thousand more to go.
And where I’m going they’ll never find me.
‘Cause where I’m going nobody knows

I’m on the hook, My anchors down
There are blue skies all around
I’m on the hook, My sails are bound
I ain’t lost and I ain’t found
And when the sun comes out tomorrow, It’ll be a brand new day
And if lord comes to take me, I’ll just look at him and say
I’m on the hook”

I realized that I’ve  got a thousand miles behind me and a thousand more to go…and that Living on Snoloha Time is just as important as working on Snoloha time.  A fine balancing act.

I know that in my head it all makes sense.  And someday, when I figure it all out, it will make sense to you as well.

I also know that I’m not sitting in a cubicle, ready to blow my head off.  So that’s a good thing.