How Business is Like Kayaking

One might think I humbled myself enough with my infiltration into the world of snowboard riders, yet summer brought on the urge to jam myself into a plastic floaty the size of a toothpaste tube and brave jagged rocks, wild frothy rapids and frequent oxygen deprivation. I got hooked on kayaking.

I had been thinking about taking up kayaking for more than twenty years. The notion always got squashed for a variety of reasons. When my friend suddenly announced he had begun taking kayaking lessons, I was motivated to take the leap. Next thing you know, Richard and I were floating down the Nechako River together, occasionally both right-side-up at the same time.

We’re no strangers to being upside down. As business partners we had just come to the conclusion that our business was dragging us into the dirt and had recently decided to lay-off our eight employees and get on with our lives. Bobbing down through rapids upside down with no oxygen felt like our comfort zone.

In kayaking, you must challenge hydraulics, risk and fear. In business you must do the same. The marketplace has its own version of hydraulics. You will do well to learn as much about them as you can through your business planning. However, once you’re in business or on the river, your background learning will take second place to pure instinct and sharp reflexes.

In kayaking, you must learn the basics before tackling the big league stretches of water. Your first task is to learn the rules, learn about safety, how to paddle, and how to wear the gear. Business is the same. Ease yourself into business by learning how to serve customers, how to listen, how to create the product or service, how to say please and thank you. Common etiquette and basic knowledge will carry you through a lot of challenging turbulence.

When kayaking, you must learn to read the water prior to placing yourself at risk. In business you must continually keep one eye on the horizon, watching for clues, risks, threats and opportunities. When paddling through rapids, it is critical to keep your paddle in the water at all times and to keep paddling no matter what. This provides you with the stability required to stay upright.

When the going gets rough in business, you must continue to lean forward and work hard. As with kayaking, you will be amazed at how your tenacity and courage pull you through stretches that appear impossible.

You must find a kayak that suits your style. It must be the right size for you and designed for your level of skill and knowledge. Your business must be appropriate for your knowledge, skills and abilities.

When kayaking, you must use a boat designed for the type of water you will navigate. A kayak designed for the river current will only drain your energy in a lake or the sea. In business, use the form or structure most appropriate for the business you’re in. If an inexpensive proprietorship will do, why form a costly corporation?

In kayaking, you must learn to create balance, even when your equilibrium is totally skewed. In business you must do the same. This means balance between work and play, fast and slow, sales and expenses, products and services.

Keep your eyes on where you want to go, not on what you fear. This applies to both kayaking and business. If you focus on what you fear, you will find yourself there. This is a fundamental key to success. Focus on where you wish to be, not where you fear you might end up. Keep your eyes on the prize, not your demise.

You will come up against huge rocks or barriers. It is critical that you learn how to navigate through or around these challenges. Sometimes a change in course of a couple degrees can be the difference between life and death.

About the Author:

Dan Boudreau makes business planning achievable, fast and fun. Want to learn more about how to do your own business plan? Subscribe to the RiskBuster Newsletter and instantly download a free copy of Dan’s popular fast-track business plan template at http://www.riskbuster.com