When the Lift Doesn’t Move Fast Enough – Maybe Your Perspective Should

 🚢 When the Lift Doesn’t Move Fast Enough – Maybe Your Perspective Should

Have you ever felt stuck in your career? Like things are just… not moving fast enough?
Let me tell you a story. Not about a ship or a storm at sea, but about a lift.

 

🪞 Part 1: The Mirror That Changed Everything

“Sometimes, the fix isn’t faster… it’s deeper.”

Years ago, employees in a company complained the lift was too slow. It was eating into their time, frustrating their flow, and delaying their work. Sounds like a familiar pain point in shipping operations, right?

So, the management called in engineers. The solution? A faster motor, stronger cables, and a costly system upgrade. Expensive. Time-consuming. Disruptive.

But before approvals were signed, a junior officer asked a simple question:

“Why do we only feel frustrated in the lift? We waste more time during lunch or tea breaks, but we don’t complain then.”

Because during breaks, people are engaged. In the lift? They were bored.

💡His solution? Install full-length mirrors inside the lift.

Suddenly, no one complained again. People got distracted—fixing hair, checking outfits, engaging with their reflection. The time felt shorter. The lift wasn’t faster. Their perception had changed.

🎯 Tags: #MindsetMatters #LeadershipLessons #SmartSolutions

 

⚓ Part 2: Your Career Is That Slow Lift Sometimes

“The lift is still moving… you’re just watching the clock too hard.”

In our shipping world, we often say, “The charter is stuck,” or “Promotion isn’t coming,” or “This client never responds fast.”
Feels like your career lift is too slow, right?

But is the real issue the speed? Or your engagement during the waiting?

When sailors wait in port for clearance or operators wait for CP amendments, frustration builds. But if we’re learning, reflecting, or even mentoring during that time, it’s no longer wasted. It’s invested.

👉 This applies to your life too. Whether you’re an officer at sea, a broker onshore, or a manager juggling STS ops—if you feel stuck, it may be time to install that inner mirror.

Ask:

• Am I growing while waiting?
• Am I learning something new?
• Am I improving my mindset?

That slow moment could be your growth zone in disguise.

🎯 Tags: #CareerGrowth #SlowMomentsFastLearning #ShipOpsMindset

 

🌊 Part 3: The Root Cause Isn’t Always What You Think

“Don’t upgrade the lift. Understand the frustration.”

This story teaches us something powerful: Fixing symptoms costs more than addressing root causes.

In shipping, how often do we:

• Raise claims before communication?
• Blame port agents before checking voyage instructions?
• Assume bad intent before asking questions?

Same goes in life.

A delayed charter party negotiation may not be the real frustration. It could be a lack of clarity in team roles.
A frustrating crew member may not be inefficient—they may be poorly trained or under-communicated.

👉 So, pause. Ask:
What’s the mirror I need here? What perspective shift will show me the root, not just the result?

💡 Start treating causes, not symptoms—in your career, relationships, operations, and self-leadership.

🎯 Tags: #RootCauseThinking #LeadershipFromWithin #ShippingLife

 

🔭 Part 4: The Power of Perspective at Sea and in Self

“The real storm is not always outside—it’s in how we view it.”

Just like the mirrored lift, the situation didn’t change. But the experience did.

In our industry—where delays, audits, off-hires, and cargo issues are routine—it’s your perspective that defines your peace.

• You can either panic over lost time at anchorage...
• Or use it to review last voyage learnings.
• You can curse the “slow lift” of your career…
• Or use the pause to sharpen your voice, your skills, your clarity.

🌟 Every delay can become a mirror if you let it.

This is not about toxic positivity. It’s about realistic reflection.
It’s about saying: “This lift may be slow. But I’m still moving. And I’ll use this time to rise higher within.”

🎯 Tags: #PowerOfPerspective #SelfLeadership #MindfulShipping

 

📣 Final Reflection from ShipOpsInsights

Dear seafarers, operators, brokers, and shipping dreamers...
Life may feel like it’s moving slow sometimes. The sea might seem too still.
But maybe, just maybe—you don’t need to speed up the ship. You need to look in the mirror.

🚀 The lift isn’t slow. You’re just meant to rise consciously.
And when you shift your focus, time stops dragging… and starts delivering.

💬 Drop a comment 👇

Have you faced your own “slow lift” moment recently?
What mirror helped you change your perspective?

👉 Follow #ShipOpsInsights with Dattaram for more real stories, powerful ideas, and maritime mindset shifts.
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#ShipOpsInsights #LeadershipAtSea #MaritimeGrowth #PerspectiveShift #SlowIsSmooth #ShippingMindset #EmotionalIntelligenceAtWork #DattaramSpeaks