Living in Northern Michigan, I’m in one of the best fishing locations in the USA. We have an endless number of beautiful places to enjoy the water. There’s the Great Lakes, of course, but also thousands of smaller lakes, big rivers, little creeks, and everything in between. With such an abundance of opportunities, my largest challenge is often choosing where to go!
As an avid fisherman since childhood, I’ve learned a few valuable lessons the hard way. One is: always have your net ready!
The One That Got Away
When I was 14, my father took me on a fly-in fishing trip to Northern Ontario for a week. He was concerned that I wouldn’t be entertained fishing for an entire week in a remote place with nothing else to do. Several days in, it was apparent I wouldn’t get bored of fishing. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that when we came in for dinner, I would only stay long enough to eat. After the dishes were washed, I’d be right back on the dock casting for walleye.
One evening while fishing off the dock, I hooked into a very large pike. As I fought it, to my dismay, I realized I’d left my net in the boat. I yelled for help as the fish thrashed and I continued to battle it closer to the dock. No one came to my aid. Needing both hands, I began attempting to stand with one foot on the dock and using the other to pull my net out of the boat. Amid this chaos, the fish managed to break my line.
Always have your net ready!
Beyond the Dock: A Lesson for Life
Applying this to other areas of life: Act like your goals are going to happen!
When I was out fishing on the dock, I could say I was there to enjoy the beautiful evening, but truth be told, that wasn’t my objective. I was there to catch big fish! Yet I may as well have been out there to enjoy the sunset. If I had truly acted like my goals were going to happen, I would have had that net ready!
This simple principle has been very impactful on my mindset in the last year. I’ve recognized that I can often have a goal but, instead of having full expectations of its success, I catch myself subtly thinking—and then acting—like it may not happen. Just like not having a net ready, you soon begin to neglect preparing for success.
What’s Your Net?
You want to increase your sales by 25% in 2026. What’s your net for that big fish? Is your supply chain ready? Do you have your team prepared to expand?
You’re looking to hire a major addition to your team. Are you already expecting to settle, or are you planning to raise the bar?
You want to win back your time and become more efficient. Are you already expecting to continue being swamped, or are you thinking of how you’ll reinvest that extra time?
Act Like It
Trust me, decades after getting caught at 14 without my net, I still make the same mistake on occasion. Likewise, I catch myself doing the same thing with my goals. Start acting like your goals are going to happen—you’ll be glad you have your net ready!