Sail racing isn't just a fun way to pass my time or a way to express my competitive spirit. It is pure joy for me. Becoming a racer hasn't just made me a better sailor, but it has taught me a great deal about life.

1. Growth doesn't happen during the easy times.

Frankly, my sailing skills have not improved on the days with perfect wind and absolutely no problems. I get better on the days where the wind is howling and the waves are crashing over the bow of the boat. One week, the tiller fell off of our boat and we had to steer home with a screwdriver. This taught me how to stay calm in the face of crisis.

2. Sometimes your only goal needs to be to survive.

Some days you need to push yourself to be the very best you can be. Other days you need to realize that your main goal needs to be to just get through whatever challenges lay ahead. It is perfectly okay to remind yourself that survival is the end goal.

3. Last place is okay if you tried your hardest.

A last place finish is inevitable. You can't be the best every day of your life. Our tacks may be perfect, the crew may be perfectly in sync and we can still finish in last place. Instead of comparing yourself with others, remind yourself that this may be the best race you've ever had. It is okay to finish last.

4. There is a difference between being firm and yelling.

When things get tense or need to happen quickly during a race, sometimes it might seem like half of your crew is screaming at you. The truth is that everyone recognizes that something needs to happen quickly so they are just being firm and clear in their instructions.

5. Failure to plan is the same as planning to fail.

Every day before we begin our race we practice our tacks and jibs, we write down the angles of our starboard and port tacks as well as the wind direction and we make a plan for our race. Sometimes our plans don't work out as well as we would hope but there is no way we would go into a race without proper planning.

6. Ask for help when you need it.

There is no shame in asking for help. There is no shame in asking for clarification when you're confused. There is shame in doing something poorly simply because you did not want to ask. Sometimes you may need a little more muscle to bring your sail in. Ask for help.

7. Celebrate the little victories.

Without celebrating the small victories it is easy to get down on yourself. The first week that our team finished about last place we celebrated. It may not have been first place but it was a huge improvement for us. Remind yourself of your successes, however small they may seem.

8. When all else fails, there is no better way to end the day than with a beer and your close friends.

We don't always have the greatest days. We make mistakes. We are tired and worn out from a long day at work. No matter what we all love and support one another. Ending the day with a nice cold beer and laughs with some amazing friends is never a bad choice.