The Fish Don't Just Jump in the Boat...
No Shortcut Replaces Time in the Boat
Dear Reader
I was fishing one time in northern Saskatchewan, a place known to many as one of the top fishing destinations in the world. On the first day of the trip, we hired a guide. It was spectacular. We each caught nearly one hundred fish, including some big pike and walleye. Everything just worked.
On day two, we decided to go out on our own. We returned to the same spots, expecting a repeat performance. But almost nothing happened. The action was slow, and the fish were few and far between. Day three was no better. Same effort, same places, same result.
By day four, we did not want to risk another letdown, so we brought the guide back. He took us to different spots altogether. Sure enough, it was another incredible day.
The difference was not the lake, or the fish, or even the gear. It was him. His experience allowed him to read the variables. He could look at the weather, water temperature, and cloud cover and know exactly where the fish would be. That skill came from years of practice, from being out there again and again. It was the discipline of consistent action that shaped his intuition.
The lesson stays with me. If you want to be great at something, you cannot just show up once or twice. You have to commit. You have to show up even on the tough days, especially on the tough days. I find that many of the clients I coach want transformation, and they want it now. They are looking for a breakthrough after two or three sessions, but they are not always willing to keep doing the work long enough for real change to happen.
The truth is simple. Fish do not jump in the boat. You have to go find them.
What Have I Been Learning?
I have been learning how to use AI consistently for a couple of years now. In the beginning, it felt like a waste of time. I would spend hours trying to get something useful out of it and often walked away frustrated. But I stuck with it. Little by little, it started to make a difference.
Now, it helps me in all kinds of ways. I run ideas through it. I use it to proofread and structure my writing. I ask it to pull information so I do not have to wade through endless tabs and documents. It is like having an assistant who never gets tired.
But I only got here because I kept showing up. Bit by bit. Every day. The consistency built the muscle. And now I am reaping the rewards.
What Am I Reading?
I have been reading Fearless Leadership by Alan Weiss. One of the things he emphasizes is that true leadership requires the courage to act without waiting for perfect conditions. This connects directly to the theme.
Most people want certainty before they move. They want to know that the fish are biting before they put the line in. But leadership, like fishing, rarely works that way. You have to be willing to go out there, trust your instincts, and keep adjusting as you learn. That is what separates the people who get results from the people who just stay on shore, waiting.
Closing Insight
We all want the big catch. The moment of success. The breakthrough. But those things do not happen without direction, consistent effort, and time. You have to know what you are aiming for, take real action to get there, and keep showing up long enough to let the work bear fruit.
Whether you are trying to lead better, write better, or live better, the principle is the same. Fish do not jump in the boat. But if you keep casting, keep learning, and stay in the game, eventually they do bite.
Until next time,
Kursten