You were born for the sea. You didn’t realize it until later, but looking back, it seems obvious.

You remember the first taste of salt on your tongue. You remember waves lashing the railing as you clung to the ropes. You remember the shouted orders, the flurry of activity, and the aching muscles of a job well done.

You remember when you went from stumbling across decks to running around the rolling ship like a monkey through storm-driven trees.

At first, it was just a job.
Then you began to enjoy it.
Then you fell in love.

Passion followed the joy, and it became your north star — your driving force. You had dreams about the sea and the ship. You would swear you heard the sea speaking directly to you. You were certain that the ship recognized your feet on its deck. You became frustrated when other people just plodded through the day or were satisfied with inferior work.

Then one night, you realized you wanted to be the captain of your own ship.

Welcome to entrepreneurship.

You’ve been a captain for two years. Your passion and love are still there, but they’ve sunk their roots into a deeper source. It’s not the first blush of affection. You see the flaws along with the virtues. You see the larger story that encompasses this journey. You handle the books, juggle charts, argue with port officials, and bargain with tight-fisted merchants.

Sometimes you get out on the deck, and the salt air flashes a quick reminder of that first love. But it’s different now. This ship and its men are your responsibility. It’s your job to care for them first, above all things. And that means you have to trust them. You have to know that each sailor on the ship can do everything you ask of them—preferably better than you can.

If you want to be the captain, you can’t also be the sailors, the bosun, and the chef. It’s your job to steer them on ever-greater adventures and protect them and the cargo. You’ve hired the best and put them in the right roles. Now you have to learn to trust them.

A person who can trust their crew is unstoppable.

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