Who doesn’t like Captain Jack Sparrow? I can’t imagine anyone else but Johnny Depp playing this amazing character. He breathed a whiff of nobility into a less than honorable profession. To continue ABlueSquash.com’s theme of the month, Pirate!, here are five things I learned from Captain Jack.
IT DOESN’T MATTER WHAT PEOPLE THINK OF ME 
Commodore Norrington makes a statement about Captain Jack, “That is, without doubt, the worst pirate I’ve ever seen.” Later in the movie an officer states, “That’s got to be the best pirate I’ve ever seen.”
Captain Jack does not care what you think of him, he goes his own way and makes his own path. He takes the most effective route. And lives by, “The only rules that really matter are these: what a man can do and what a man can’t do.”
It finally sunk home. What people think of me is none of my business.
Never going to be accepted by everyone, so I’ve stopped wasting my time working so hard to please everyone.
I’ve stopped trying to be perfect. Or to impress.
I’ve stopped reacting when old habits, a lack of confidence and people try to derail my goals. I trust in my abilities to move me forward.
Like searching for buried treasure, I’m finding my way and discovering every day what I can do and accepting what I can’t do. People’s opinions no longer have anything to do with how I feel or behave.
Much happier now. Savvy?
PLAN 
Captain Jack is pretty much a step ahead of everyone else. He always has a plan. At times, he uses his hand-held compass to navigate. Most times, he uses his intuition as a compass, pointing the way to an end result.
Planning reminds us of a goal and provides the course of action to take. It helps us get to our target in a clear-cut way. Individuals as well as businesses must use this powerful tool as a foundation to success.
I discovered my life’s purpose and stopped drifting on a sea of uncertainty after career coach, Laynette Evans (whom I highly recommend) of The Evans Consulting Group encouraged me to do the work in the What Color Is Your Parachute? Job-Hunter’s Workbook. (You can contact Laynette via LinkedIn or Facebook.)
Once I knew what I wanted to do, I did the following:
- Wrote specific and measurable goals
- Clearly stated what I wanted to accomplish
- Created starting and ending dates for each goal
- Outlined specific activities showing how and what to do to reach each goal
- Assigned to me the accountability. Okay, okay my husband and daughter have their eye’s (aye’s) on me too.
PLAN B 
Captain Jack adjusts plans as needed. When something does not go as expected, he shakes it off, looks around, thinks ahead, and puzzles it out. Always with a goal in sight.
Unforeseen occurrences happen. We’ve all experienced it or the quote “Poop Happens” would not be so popular.
How many times have you heard this? “We can’t control people or conditions. We can only control our responses.”
I encourage you to be flexible. Don’t respond as I used to by getting upset, anxious, angry and hurt. That didn’t get me anywhere, but in sick bay.
- Take a deep breath
- Remember your purpose
- Revisit your goals
- Alter or shift activities
- Stay the course
FEEL THE FEAR AND DO IT ANYWAY 
“Hello, Beastie.” Hat on, sword in hand, Captain Jack stepped into the Kraken’s mouth.
What is your Kraken?
Be willing to acknowledge and recognize your fears. Read the book and visit the website Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway, by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.
I found it to be one of the BEST manuals for breaking through fear, releasing what held me back, and empowering myself.
Remember Captain Jack’s words, “If you were waiting for the opportune moment, that was it.”
NEVER GIVE UP 
The boat was sinking, the mast nearly covered when Jack stepped onto the dock. Didn’t bat an eyelash.
When the cannibals attacked, he ran like heck. Toward the ship, toward his goal.
When Angelica posed as Captain Jack he said, “You’ve stolen me and I’m here to take meself back.”
Take yourself back.
Do not allow fears, someone else’s opinion, a day job, or other people’s goals stop you from finding your way.
Never. Ever. Give up. Not on yourself, not on possibilities, and not on your dreams or goals.
© 2013 – 2015 Susan C. Fix All Rights Reserved
My Captain Jack Sparrow doll pictured, with the uncanny likeness of Johnny Depp, sold on eBay.
