When life is getting really busy, it can seem like a wind that is trying to push us backwards. I was in a meeting recently where someone used the term “sail into the wind.” It reminded me of when I was young and had a chance to go sailing; I was fascinated by the idea that a vessel could be propelled forward by the very forces that were working in the opposite direction. If it feels like everything is coming at you at once, don’t be afraid to face it head on and see where it takes you.
The idea that we do some of our best work under pressure can be tiresome for sure, especially when we are faced with what seems like never ending deadlines. Every now and then, it is a nice relief to let the “jib out” and sail downwind. If you have not sailed in a boat, going upwind is similar to what lifts an airplane. As I was doing research for this article, I learned that the model I was taught, where the differential in velocity of a fluid over two surfaces is what causes lift, may be an oversimplification. The airstreams may not reach the same point on the other side at the same time.