Free Fall - Resurfacing - Optimism & a 40lb California Halibut

This video is amazing. It illustrates the beauty of how deep one can go and then still resurface. I think we all have situations like this, especially when starting a new business, or in our general lives.

Last week I pondered the thoughts of great thinkers to give me insight into aspects of moving forward with the idea of PuraKai. After last weeks deep introspection and reflection I was able to take off after work (the job that feeds the family) and spend a couple of nights on the water in the open ocean fishing. The first night I was with a friend and my two boys ages 3 and 6.

The time spent with my boys was magical. The 3 year old was especially excited because it was his first time on the open ocean sleeping/fishing with dad. We had a couple of bites in the middle of the night but the fish came unhooked quickly, which was discouraging. However at daybreak we got a bite and the fish stuck, after a long run I was able to turn the fish and then it got wrapped around the anchor line. After some help from my buddy we got the fish unwrapped and then it got caught in some kelp that was floating close to the boat.

After getting the kelp away it went for another run. After getting the line back and almost setting eyes on the fish it went for another run. Finally the fish got tired and I was able to get it close to the boat, my buddy standing close by with a gaff. I got a look at the fish and it was a monster, at least a 60lb White Sea Bass, the first of the year after many trips getting skunked.

Just as it was close enough to gaff the fish came up quickly, shook its head, and the hook came out of its mouth, just out of gaff range. I was crushed, absolutely crushed, all sorts of negative thoughts raced through my mind, personal issues, business issues, the F***ing Universe hates me I thought, I deserve this, this is bad karma for not being the best person I could be, I must have hurt someone and this is payback.

So I stood there and fought for my next breath, I looked at my boys, the flat calm ocean, the dolphins and seals swimming by, and I thought of the text a friend sent me, a quote by Winston Churchill, “For myself I am an optimist - it does not seem to be much use being anything else.” I then reset myself and took a breath, and consciously decided to remain positive and to be an optimist.

The next day I left work and made a decision to fish again, knowing I could be let down again, fail again, be punished by karma again. But a great thing happened, not only did we catch a fish, but it was the biggest California halibut I've ever seen, a boat record, a catch of a lifetime. So there is justice in the Universe, and it doesn't hate me, maybe it was just a run of bad luck, maybe I'm a good person after all.

And that's the payoff for remaining positive and staying the course, a happy child with a lifetime memory. Happiness that far outweighs the negativity of losing the White Sea Bass, but it didn't seem like it at the time, the adversity felt insurmountable.  

The challenge is in remaining positive despite adversity, and starting a business for most of us is a challenge in overcoming adversity, free falling, then scratching for the surface, free falling again and then hoping to resurface, or in some cases free falling and drowning, deciding to move on after the project is no longer viable.

As PuraKai progresses I'm remaining positive, I'm an Optimist. I can only hope that one day this business will allow me to create cool products for PuraKai, donate some money to help the ocean, and allow me to feed my family.

As Winston Churchill also said:

“The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.”

“Kites rise highest against the wind - not with it.”

So today I will fight for the next breath, be an optimist, and look for the opportunity in the difficulty of launching PuraKai, and try to carry that attitude and optimism in every area of my life and in all my affairs.