The Power of Commitment: Say Yes and Change Everything

Two weeks into my 71-day solo row across the Pacific, a steel bolt on my rowing seat snapped in half. It was totally unexpected and created an operational nightmare.

I had already used my 1 spare seat bolt to repair my rudder in another unexpected accident. I was missing the essential part, and it seemed certain the trip was doomed. I would have to call for rescue and abandon my boat – all due to a measly bolt.

In a last ditch effort, I began attempting repairs with whatever I could – scrap wood, tiny bolts, anything that might keep me rowing. Each day as I tested new repairs, I agonized about how the seat was ruining my experience.

But when I left California, I had fully committed to the adventure. And that meant I had to either embrace everything I encountered, or I would fail. Over time, I began to see my frustrating seat wasn’t in the way of me reaching Hawaii – it was the very experience I came for.

Slowly, I admitted to myself that the challenge I faced wasn’t technical, it was mental. The biggest barrier was believing that I could fix the seat at all. And when I made that switch to say YES to the broken seat – just as I had said YES to rowing across an ocean 4 years prior – there was no stopping me. Soon after this realization, I came up with the most surprising solution possible – and it worked perfectly.

You see, when we externalize our obstacles – such as a seat or the bolt – we become reactive. And that completely undermines our creativity. But when we choose the power of YES and tap into an attitude of play, we change everything.