Who Is In Your Lifeboat?
One useful way to think about your life is that you are in a lifeboat in your journey through life. You will navigate the seas of Life and it is incredibly difficult and miserable (if not impossible) to do it alone.
On average, most Lifeboats seem to have room for between 2 and 7 people. These are the people whom you will help and will help you travel on the sea. They will pull oars, raise sails, navigate, handle the tiller, bail water, catch fish, be lookouts and more.
These are the people with whom you will share your Life’s Journey. Sometimes people pick their mates, others just travel with whoever shows up and sticks around. Neither is “better” than the other; each produces very different experiences.
I like to pick the people in my Lifeboat and I like to be selected by others with whom I want to share the journey. For me, they are people that have a high curiosity about life and what’s possible. They are action-oriented, they are responsible, they want to accomplish a great deal and enjoy the experiences of doing so, as well as the rewards for completion.
They have Values they seek to live by and always return to trying harder when they have a misstep. It matters to them that they seek to live in their full potential. It matters as a quest; not as a point of ridiculous perfection.
They stay real with themselves and others. They endeavor to contribute in whatever they do and they don’t run over people or allow themselves to be run over.
They “share” life with you. They don’t make themselves responsible for my responsibilities, yet they are sincere supporters that I will step up and handle things. They will help where it makes a difference and doesn’t take me prisoner. They will accept help in the same way.
They are optimistic and appropriately unrealistic. They seek to do greater and the impossible, but not at the expense of intelligent well-being and consideration of others.
They work to be conscious in every pull of the oar or draw of the lines. They show up, connect and express their passions with robust energy and aliveness.
These are the kinds of people I seek in my Lifeboat and they are the people whose Lifeboat’s I want to join; they are also the kinds of things I seek in myself.
Are you a person I should want in my Lifeboat? Am I the kind of person you want in yours?
Who else should be in your Lifeboat? Why?
Mcbsmith's Blog 
I’ve been thinking a lot about this topic recently Bob, and I know for sure who I don’t want in my lifeboat. And I’m feeling really supported by the folks who I do want in mine. It is amazing how stressful times bring out the best in some and the worst in others.
Thanks for taking the time to comment Deb. I think the topic is in the air.
I love this post! Two comments…
I am like you.. I choose those in my lifeboat and I choose carefully.
You are in my lifeboat.
Denise
Thanks for your thoughts. You must be in an odd place on the planet, given the hour of your post.
Glad I’m in your boat, just let me know when to row!
I like this!
It seems to me that we choose the people who are in our lifeboat and they will be mostly family and a few close friends, but we surely must be in many lifeboats at the same time – some we don’t even know of! I guess people pick the folk in their lifeboats, sometimes without asking them, which I think is a really nice thought – we are often thought highly of and respected by people and don’t even know it.
I know that when I’ve ever been in the privileged position of leading people in a team that I sometimes think I’m floating about without any praise from the team. People sometimes find it difficult to praise their leaders and seniors – I think this is a shame and try to give positive feedback to people whenever I can, and at whatever level or position they may be in. Sometimes folk are surprised!!!
I left this up on my computer for 24hrs just to read it again and again. Life is a journey. If we happen to travel by lifeboat so be it. In most cases we cannot choose who enters a lifeboat with us. Actually, we choose the path, or so we think, and life provides the teachers and the tools. Sometimes we reject them because they don’t look like us, talk like us, agree with us or are blessed with affluence as us.
This piece is highly inspirational and really helps in the journey. I have sent it to all my friends. I would like to think I am being described in this piece. But life has brought me down to lifeboat experiences over and over again.
Brother Smith thanks for a beautifully written piece. You are truly blessed.
Thanks for taking the time to be so thorough and consider it. A thoughtful response is very useful in these days where there is too little time to think.