Here is the complete English translation of your story:
Just before New Year’s 2013, I realized that the taste of life had changed. Nothing extraordinary had happened—I had simply stopped dreaming.
When I sat down and tried to write a list of 50 wishes, I managed to squeeze out only 7, and even those didn’t come easily. They were all purely material and had nothing to do with who I was as a person.
After meeting an inspiring mentor, Alexander Gula (I will introduce you to him very soon), I realized that my most recent emotional breakthrough was connected to a Sail passed down to me by my grandfather from Odesa. I had almost thrown it away while cleaning out the shed, but I just couldn’t bring myself to do it. I stood frozen for ten minutes with that old canvas bag in my hands, feeling as though I couldn’t even breathe.
By dissecting my childhood and current hobbies, my work KPIs, and that single emotional moment, I put together an impressive list of 53 dreams—including a luxury car and the successful implementation of SAP at work!
The next step was to choose the one most important desire for myself. In the end, I made a wish: I wanted to learn how to sail a yacht.
Everything pointed to the fact that this was my true dream. The SAP implementation took a backseat, even though it had made it to the semi-finals.
Back then, I had no idea how I would make it happen, but that was a task for Santa Claus, as it had officially become my New Year’s wish. The power of intention worked its magic once again.
From there, events unfolded rapidly:
- I was offered a new job.
- I resigned from Enter.
Suddenly, I had a full month free to earn my yacht skipper’s license and go on vacation with my beloved wife!
Thanks to my own dedication and the guidance of experienced instructors, I learned the fundamentals of sailing. Then came the training:
- 2 weeks in the Indian Ocean: Daily outings on a Hobie Cat K1 beach catamaran (+ capsizing it once).
- 1 week in Montenegro: Sailing an Elan 35 with two crew members who were on a yacht for the very first time.
- 10 days of training: Intensity in Turkey with Alexander Taranenko.
- 2-week regatta in Greece: Navigating through an 8-point storm (43 knots of wind) as a crew of three on a 45-foot boat, where the third crew member was on a boat for the first time and didn’t even know how to swim.
- Weekend regatta: Racing on an EmKa-class yacht.
- Skipper certification: Earning full GIMS credentials across all categories.
- 1 week in Turkey: The inaugural #FriendlyRegatta, organized entirely on our own.
- A simple gift: Receiving a drawing from a 6-year-old boy that read, “You are a good captain,” along with eyes full of joy and a newfound love for the sea—nothing could be more precious than that.
Amidst this whirlwind of sailing events, a realization dawned on me: 14 years dedicated to my corporate career had led to growing responsibility (at the time, I was the CFO of a group of companies and the Director of a manufacturing subsidiary within the group) and higher income, but less and less happiness from the process.
On April 16, 2014, I made a pivotal decision: to redirect all my efforts and resources into what I loved most—sailing yachts. I began taking confident steps in that direction.
Where things stand today:
- #FriendlyRegatta (#ДружескаяРегата): We organize and regularly run this sailing event all around the globe. In 2016 alone, we hosted 10 events, with nearly 40% of participants returning regularly. We have sailed in Montenegro, Turkey, France, Croatia, the Seychelles, the Canary Islands, Malta, and Sicily, and continue our journeys across Lake Baikal, Sardinia, the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, and other unique destinations.
- “Ocean School” (“Школа Океан”): Launched a training program for sailors preparing for solo and crewed ocean crossings. The training consists of two crucial stages: personal preparation and constructing specialized yachts to help participants achieve their goals. The program was developed based on the experience of a solo sailor who has circumnavigated the globe twice, placed in multiple transatlantic races, and boasts over 50 years of boat-building and seafaring experience.
- Masterclass with V. Yazykov: Hosted a workshop on the yacht Daughter of the Wind in the Canaries in December 2014 titled “How to Walk on Water: A Practical Guide.”
- Parus Club: Founded and launched a community for romantics where like-minded people connect over a shared passion for oceans, sails, volcanoes, waterfalls, the underwater world, and the open sky.
- ParusKids: For the third year running, we are organizing the Young Seafarers Academy for children.
- Kilimanjaro Expedition: Planned our first summit trip in collaboration with Alpine Guiding.
- New Year’s Dive-Regatta: Continuing the tradition we started a year ago together with the 50bar.ru diving school—this time taking place in the Bahamas.
Actively gaining maritime experience and professional expertise:
- Completed the ISAF international Sea Survival training course.
- Finished the “Hardcore” storm navigation course on an IMOCA sports maxi-yacht.
- Verified skipper competencies for international certification systems.
- Launched the Parus Club sailing school.
In short, a genuine passion paired with conscious choices has turned into my Life’s Work and my favorite job.
Looking back now, I see so many subtle signs I had previously missed:
- My grandfather originally wanted to send me to maritime academy.
- In school shop class, I built a model ship complete with an electric motor, a bridge, and all the essential details.
- The defining moments in the relationship with my beloved wife took place in Thailand aboard a sailing catamaran.
- And countless other signs along the way.
The key is to recognize them!
It doesn’t matter what your “Life’s Work” turns out to be; what matters is working hard, loving, and enjoying life—the right path will surely present itself. Whatever you do, you are developing yourself!
Never stand still; keep growing—the ocean, thorough preparation, and the right boat provide the ultimate environment for growth.
Your feedback and warm words in response to my newsletters and social media posts mean the world to me. Thank you for being so generous with your emotions. I am deeply grateful for your support and your shared love for the sea.
Thank you!
