Bryan Sterling

I work in the event production business, supporting meetings and events where the pressure can be intense and the pace rarely slows down. It is a business built on deadlines, details, long days, constant change, and often too much “screen time”. The work is rewarding, but it can also be stressful. Travel becomes routine. Schedules shift. Problems show up at the worst possible time. In our world, success often depends on staying calm and grounded when there is a lot happening around you. That is why the water has always been important to me. Being on the water gives me room to breathe. It is where the noise settles, the stress starts to fade, and I can reset. Whether I am boating across the bay, jumping in for a swim, fishing, or just sitting and observing for a few minutes, the water has a way of putting life back in perspective. That is where my quote, “A little water in the boat,” comes from. At first, it sounds like a problem. Nobody wants a boat full of water. Too much water in the boat is dangerous. It can weigh you down, create panic, and eventually sink you if you ignore it. But a little water in the boat can be a good thing. It can mean you are out there, fully in the moment, doing something that brings you joy. A little water might be the spray from the bay as you glide across the surface. It might be the water dripping off your body after a swim. It might come from a fish you just reeled in and proudly brought aboard. It might be a welcome rain shower on a 90 degree day. In each case, the water is not a sign that something is wrong. It is a sign that you are living, participating, and enjoying the experience instead of watching it from a distance. For me, “a little water in the boat” is a reminder that not every challenge, inconvenience, or bit of discomfort is a bad thing. Sometimes it means you are exactly where you need to be. The key is knowing the difference between a little water and a lot of water. Much like the difference between the kind of pressure that reminds you you are alive and the kind that can be your downfall you if left unchecked.