The Monday before Christmas I was reassigned closer to home. For the first time in over ten years, I am now working less than ten minutes from home. Being a captain in retail, I have always had to drive over an hour to board each ship that I captained. My latest move is both overwhelming and humbling at the same time. I captain a ship with over 600 great associates in a building that is over 225,000 sq ft. I feel like the captain of the largest cargo carrier on the seas. We have over 120,000 visitors a week. I am responsible to all on board. My soul mission to make all around me happy, productive and wanting to come back.
Looking back, I started as a deck hand, doing as told, not knowing the goals. Over time I was sucked in and began to make a living from it, taking more responsibility along the way. Never, at any point in time, did I think that one day I would have the honor to captain the largest boat on the seas.
Thirty one years later and here I stand. Life is good, my professional dreams have come true. Was I in the right place at the right time, did I really stand out over time, was I some compulsive nut forever stuck in overdrive? I don't know, I haven't a clue, I don't know what drove me. I just wanted to be the best, to be respected, to grow as a person. I will forever be humble and work to help others who have dreams.
