Roz Savage – Ocean Rower – “I Am What I Am”

I became aware of Roz Savage about 12 months ago. To describe her as an adventurer hardly does her justice. In 2005 she left her job as a management consultant and started a new life by rowing across the Atlantic. She has followed that by starting a row across the Pacific and last year she made the first leg from San Francisco to Hawaii. In May 2009 she set off in her boat, Brocade, to cross the remainder going from East to West. Her final destination is unknown as she relies on winds and tides to carry her.

You can follow her progress on her blog, twitter or podcast.

Without doubt she is a one-off and an example to all of getting out of your comfort zone. (This piece was first published in the Sunday Times, 23 April 2006.)

I Am What I Am

“The thoughts and philosophies of Roz Savage, an impressive ocean-rowing adventurer.

• Don’t waste mental energy asking yourself if you CAN do something. Just do it. You’ll surprise yourself. I did.
• Be clear about your objectives. Ignore others, stay true to yourself and measure success only against your own criteria. I was last to finish the race – big deal. I went out there to learn about myself, and I did.
• The only constant in life is change. So don’t get depressed by the bad times, and don’t get over-excited by good ones. Accept that things are exactly as they are, and even bad times have something to teach us.
• Life can be magical, but magic only gets you so far. Then you need discipline, determination and dedication to see it through.
• Hope can hurt. The danger is that you hope for too much and set yourself up for disappointment. Be optimistic but realistic. Nothing is ever as good or as bad as you expect it to be.
• Be mindful of the link between present action and desired future outcome. Ask yourself: if I repeat today’s actions 365 times, will I be where I want to be in a year?
• Decision-making: act in faith, not fear, and don’t worry about making a ‘wrong’ decision – the way you implement it is more important than the decision itself.
• Be your own best friend. The more you rely on other people, the less control you have over your destiny.
• Be proud of your own obituary: a few years ago I wrote two versions of my obituary, the one I wanted and the one I was heading for. They were very different. I realized I needed to make some big changes if I was going to look back and be proud of my life. I am making those changes, and now I have a life worth living.”