about david
how I got to here...
There is a tide in the affairs of men,
Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune…
- Shakespeare
My love affair with the sea began when I found myself alone underneath a dinghy at the age of 8, having capsized and been flung up the beach by strong Cornish waves. Wow! Here was a force to be reckoned with!
Since then the sea has always been part of my life; sailing across the Atlantic, pottering about the Cornish coast, importing Portuguese olive oil under sail on the 100 year old Bessie Ellen, or working on my boat for the next sailing adventure. I am happiest being in, on or next to the sea.
After my upside-down beach experience, my father taught me that; ‘the sea is safe as long as you remember it is dangerous’. Since then I have grown to respect and trust the sea, knowing that whilst its primal power can cause chaos, it also puts my worries in perspective and returns me to the land whole and peaceful again, ready for the next challenge.
Imagine then, being in my element; leaning contentedly against a warm rock after a summer swim and sifting lazily through my life, at one with the waves. Or as a free spirit sailing barefoot with friends in my oldest clothes, gently dropping anchor at the end of the day and cooking freshly-caught mackerel over a driftwood fire on the beach.
I also know, as a marine scientist and a searcher, that where the solid land meets the liquid sea, this creates a fertile edge for both organisms and ideas. It’s in the potential of this disruptive edge that I find the inspiration for coaching.
‘Feel the fear and do it anyway.’
- Susan Jeffers
If this life of simplicity sounds too easy, don’t be fooled; it took many turns to get here!
As a young man I decided to forge my own life by following my dreams and holding out for those goals that I really wanted, despite some serious set-backs.
By the time I was 30, my partner and I had, with a certain amount of blood sweat and tears, raised the funds to buy a classic 45ft wooden sailing boat, Sea Witch, and were poised to circumnavigate the globe. Standing on the deck on the day we became the proud owners was a pivotal moment when I realised that we really could turn an ambitious dream into reality. At that point I would not have swopped lives with any of my heroes!
Throughout my life I have allowed myself to think big without fear or limits and followed the maxim that ‘everything that happens to you in life is an opportunity for positive change’.
Nowadays I continue to create a rich and vibrant life, by embracing change and taking strides far outside my comfort zone, to where we can all grow and find purpose.
I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.’
-C.G. Jung
Despite my childhood struggles with dyslexia, my life philosophy has led me to be a leader in some truly great projects; including senior project manager on the £12 million project building the wooden tall ship STS Tenacious, and on the way I've picked up an MSc. in marine science and a commercial Yachtmaster qualification, and also have 15 years’ experience as a professional outdoor pursuits instructor. And, it didn't feel right to stop there so, with my partner, we bought and converted a run-down farm in Cornwall and created a thriving holiday business.
You get the picture. In short, I feel as comfortable sitting on a rock or a meditation cushion as in a boardroom, discussing the finances for an ambitious project.
I'm also blessed with three great children who, I secretly feel very proud to have helped raise into creative, thriving and independent young adults.
My life has been marked by some painful losses, but instead of crushing me they have become the crucible in which I have learnt compassion and self-knowledge.
‘I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never happened.’
- Mark Twain
Now approaching the grizzled, white-haired phase of life, I'd describe myself as a ‘retired single-minded alpha male,’ ready to use my life experience with others as they reach for their dreams. It is my firm belief that these aspirations need to be taken seriously as the pathway to true purpose and now, as a fully qualified life coach, I am passionate to offer, help, tools and encouragement to support others.
My working style is to create a safe space where you can leave your judgmental self behind and fully explore your dreams as future realities. Then we will work together to find the courage and vision necessary to bring them to life.
I must go down to the sea again, for the call of the running tide
Is a wild call and a clear call that may not be denied;
- John Masefield
If this approach sounds right for you, get in touch to schedule a free, no obligation, initial ‘chemistry’ session and let's begin the adventure.