As a kid, floating down our local river on inflated inner tube tires was a great summertime pastime.

On a hot summer day, we would put on our swimming suits or cutoff shorts, grab our towels and a bag of chips, maybe a bottle of sun protection, pile into the back of an old truck (it used to be legal!), station-wagon, or any vehicle we could commandeer, and we’d head upstream to our entry point.

There we would joyously jump into the chilling waters of melted snow flowing out of the mountains in the far distance. Splashing, laughing and shoving each other under the water is the norm as we slowly floated our way down the river.

Occasionally, we are passed by motored boats, jetting their way upstream to unknown destinations and unknown adventures. Waving, laughing and yelling as they went by, we are certain our mode of summer enjoyment far surpasses those in the boat.

Later, dragging our sun and water drenched bodies out of the water, we point our vehicles toward home to recuperate.

Fun and sun – two peas in a pod!

On many occasions I’ve had the privilege and joy of boating! Climbing aboard a motorized boat, feeling the roar of the engines and speeding across the water with the wind in your face is exhilarating.

I remember well the joyous times of water-skiing. Gliding across the lake, skiing from one side of the boat-wake to the other – feeling the thrill of speed, wind and water. Great memories, except the time we water skied in central Arkansas in the middle of summer with no suntan lotion! Looking like boiled lobsters, it takes weeks before we can walk right, after slathering bottles of aloe gel to ease our pain and burning, and many more months to outlive our stupidity!

Life can be looked at in the same way!

Floaters; those happy to just glide along with the crowd, willing participants surrendering their will to the river to control their enjoyment and direction. Asking nothing of the river except to take them from point A to point B – with lots of splashing, fun and nonsense thrown in.

Now, nothing is wrong with being a floater!

Some willingly take on wild and dangerous rivers with well-known epic rapids and come out victorious – taming the river while proving their courage and strength. However, they’re still at the mercy and direction of the river. I’ve been there and done that too!

On the other hand, boaters take control of the river, forcing their will, their direction, and their desires on the waters; whether down-stream, up-stream, or no stream!

Boaters go where they want to go, setting their sail against the wind or setting their rudder against the current and into the waters they chart. No place is un-accessible! Dangerous at times, but reachable with grit, desire and a proven seaworthy vessel.

Which one are you?

Are you a Floater – permitting other peoples’ opinions, ideas, and influence to dictate what, where and when you do something? Floaters go with the current – the current whims, the current fads, the current flashy and exciting thing capturing their attention and focus.

Do cultural norms pressure you into a certain direction, calling, or occupation? Are you breezing through the work hours on your job, not advancing but only showing up and collecting a pay check? Have relationships with family and friends deteriorated into ho-hum and boredom?

Are your school studies becoming drudgery and the excited feeling of discovery of something new and transformational, lost or gone?

The bottom line is, floaters permit life to direct them in down the path of least resistance. Life like this is dull, mundane and based on existence only.

A floater does not receive all there is in life and probably is not even aware of other experiences and adventures to enjoy.

Sound familiar?

To be successful, either in life or in the online space, you cannot float along with the masses.

The only result is lost time, lost money, and ending up where you don’t want to be – exactly where they are; financially, socially, and mentally!

Internet Marketers and online entrepreneurs have to be Boaters!

Laying out a course of action, taking the action required and with determined calculated moves, chart their journey to a distant port and destination!

Is this what you want? Now is the time to take the steps to change – and you can change! It is up to you!

Jim Rohn, a well-known motivational speaker, said it’s not the circumstances and situations of life that control where you end up – it’s the “set of your sail.” Patterns you establish in your life, habits you embrace, and the people you associate with, largely determine who you are and how much success or failure you have.

The change you are looking for and the redirection for your life may be as simple as changing your vehicle and becoming a Boater instead of a Floater!

Rohn adds, “Change your attitude, change your life.”

Begin to invest in yourself daily with reading something new, listening to something different, learning and discovering something to help you to reset your sail and move your life’s rudder into a new and prosperous direction.

Will it happen like a lightning strike? NO!

Will it happen by wishing it to happen? NO!

You must take control of your life now by changing the things encouraging you to float! The key is action – grabbing ahold of the “reins of your mind,” creating the right mindset, and doing something positive in a new direction.

This means putting “feet to seat,” or “grab, grit and go! Just setting goals and having dreams and visions of a new way is valueless unless you put your foot on the gas pedal and stomping hard, or if you have a boat – push the throttle forward and Rock it!

Will it happen? YES!

As you begin to take action by setting new goals, improving your understanding, gaining wisdom, and taking action, you will begin to see change!

Gradually at first, yet gaining strength and speed as new habits are established, attitudes are improved and successful principles take root and flourish.

Popeye, (old US cartoon), is a corn-cob smoking, muscle-bound, spinach-gulping, three-degrees off-center, sailor, whose favorite phrase is, “I yam what I yam!”

This is NOT what we are talking about here.

You do not have to settle for the least, or the worst in yourself. You DO have the ability to change and to embrace those changes as permanent. Doing so will set you on a different course in life.

Be a Boater – not a floater!