Repetition

“A baseball swing is a very finely tuned instrument. It is repetition, and more repetition, then a little more after that.” Reggie Jackson

I pull back on the throttles of the twin 715 diesels of The Great Gab-Sea as we approach the ‘trolling corridor,’ an area located about 8.5 miles south of Perdido Pass in the Gulf of Mexico. Our team grabs the rods and reels that have already been prepared with different selected lures.

Choosing my compass heading, I engage the engines in idle speed as our team strips out line behind the boat. Lines now positioned at the proper distance from the boat, I push the throttles up to 7 knots and drive right down the middle of this well-known fish haven in the Gulf. Despite the reputation, as well as  previous personal successful experience in this area, the fish are not cooperating today. Our lucrative spot is not producing.  The Great Gab-Sea travels the multiple mile-corridor without a single hit on any of the four lines.  We are striking out – speaking in fish language

At the end of the  normally prolific corridor, I turn the boat in a north-west direction toward shore. We travel another 7 miles without any success. Different lures. Different boat speeds. Different area. Still no luck . . . disappointment is intensifying!

ZZZZZZZZ. That magic sound. Fish on! A couple of minutes later, the first fish of the day, a Spanish Mackerel, hits the deck and soon goes into the ice chest. Instinctively, I note three defining factors: water depth, the lure that was hit and the speed of the boat. For the remaining time of the trip, these factors will be duplicated.

Soon again, that magic sound. A couple times on the trip, we even have doubles – two  fish at the same time.

As dark is approaching, I give the order for lines to be reeled in and we head back to home port.

This same fishing trip reminds me of many other voyages I have made. An approach yielding no success requires strategy modifications until a winning formula is found.  Once a pattern is discovered that produces fish, we duplicate that victorious pattern repeatedly.

For the first half of our trip our ice chests are totally empty.  In the second half, after making some modifications, we catch nine fish.  The speed proven most successful ranges between 6.0 knots and 6.2 knots – a very small window and different from the initial 7 knots.  One particular lure catches the most fish. And the depth for success varies between 27- and 34-feet. The change in depth and speed are the factors that were different and likely a major reason why we started to catch fish.

My lifetime fishing experience spans over many decades. And, my conclusion, after many successful trips, is pretty simple: find a pattern that works, then duplicate that pattern. This is not rocket science. Basic stuff. But, indeed profound.

Can a strategy that works in recreational fishing be equally effective in the more important aspects of  life?  Yes. Absolutely!  The goals we determine  for the social, career and  family elements of life can be achieved by earnestly seeking and discovering  a successful pattern, and then duplicating what we have learned.

Simple Success. Find what works. Repeat what works.

How can this success formula be used?

Better health through improved eating habits and exercise

Improving our relationships with friends and family members

Becoming a more loving person

Saving money

Living within a budget

Growing spiritually

Becoming the person that I was always meant to be

 Success does not need to be complicated. Rather, it can and should be simple.

Keep trying until you find something that works in your life.

When you find what works, repeat it again and again.

Simple Success Strategy. Realization. Repetition.