Bearings & Waypoints

Why Big Journeys Are Best Navigated One Intentional Step at a Time

One of the biggest mistakes new sailors make is focusing only on the destination. They want to know:

  • How far is it?
  • When will we get there?
  • Are we almost there yet?

But offshore, staring at the destination is rarely helpful. You can’t sail straight to what you can’t see. Instead, sailors rely on bearings and waypoints—small, intentional markers that guide the journey one segment at a time. That concept carries a powerful lesson for life.

The Problem with Only Focusing on the Destination

Big goals are inspiring—but they can also be paralyzing.

  • Become a better parent.
  • Strengthen your marriage.
  • Grow in faith.
  • Change careers.
  • Leave a legacy.

When you focus only on the end result, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed—or discouraged before you even begin. Sailing teaches a different approach. You don’t sail to the destination. You sail the course.

What Bearings Really Do

A bearing tells you the direction you should be heading right now.

  • Not eventually.
  • Not someday.
  • Now.

It answers a simple question: Am I moving in the right direction at this moment? In life, that’s often the more important question. Progress isn’t about dramatic leaps. It’s about consistent alignment.

Waypoints Turn the Impossible into the Possible

Waypoints break a long journey into manageable segments. Instead of one overwhelming goal, you have:

  • The next tack
  • The next mile
  • The next marker

Each waypoint builds confidence. Each one reinforces momentum. Each one keeps you from quitting too soon. Life works the same way. Most meaningful change doesn’t happen all at once. It happens through small, intentional wins that compound over time.

Motion Matters More Than Perfection

One of the most freeing lessons sailing teaches is this: You don’t need perfect conditions to move forward. Waiting for ideal weather, total clarity, or perfect confidence often leaves you stuck in the harbor. Bearings give you permission to move—even when the path ahead isn’t fully visible. In life, forward motion—guided by the right direction—is better than standing still waiting for certainty.

Adjustments Are Part of the Process

No sailor expects to hold a perfect course the entire way. Wind shifts. Currents change. Conditions evolve. That’s why bearings are checked constantly. Life requires the same humility. Changing course isn’t failure. It’s awareness. Small corrections early prevent major detours later.

Applying Bearings to Everyday Life

Bearings sound abstract until you apply them. They show up as questions like:

  • What’s the next right step—not the final outcome?
  • What habit moves me one degree closer to who I want to become?
  • What conversation have I been avoiding that would realign my course?

Waypoints don’t demand perfection. They demand intention.

Teaching Others How to Navigate

For parents, leaders, and mentors, this lesson matters deeply. We often want to give people the destination:

  • Be successful.
  • Have strong faith.
  • Live with integrity.

But what they really need are waypoints:

  • How to make wise decisions today
  • How to respond when they drift
  • How to keep moving when progress feels slow

We don’t just model outcomes. We model process.

Final Thought: Don’t Quit Between Waypoints

Many people abandon good journeys because the destination feels too far away.

  • They’re not lost.
  • They’re just tired.

Bearings remind us that success isn’t measured by how close you are to the end—but by whether you’re still moving in the right direction.

  • One decision.
  • One habit.
  • One step at a time.

That’s how meaningful journeys are completed—at sea and in life.