Optimize Your Future
 by Gene Muchanski, Editor
The Dive Industry Professional

There is great potential in every one of us.  I think that our God-given potential is a gift we receive at birth, and it is a gift that stays with us throughout our life.  However, our knowledge of that potential, the wisdom to use it correctly, and the energy to apply it seamlessly is temporary and time sensitive.  How many times have you said, “I wish I knew then, what I know now.”  Well, I don’t want to burst your bubble but, maybe we are old and wise now because we experienced what it was like to be young and foolish back then.

In our younger days we may have bought into the foolish concept that there were no limits.  We may have even been led to believe that anything was possible.  The optimist within me would probably still believe that anything is possible, within limits.  That may seem to make the first statement true but the second statement to be contradictory.  Deep inside we all know that there are limits to everything.  At some point we hit a limit that we cannot exceed, and that’s OK.  At our age, it doesn’t matter anymore.  There is a much better strategy than maximizing your potential, or health, or wealth, or power, or influence.  It’s called Optimizing Your Future.  Optimization is all about reaching your potential efficiency so that you can be comfortable with the growth you have achieved.  It’s not about being bigger, faster, stronger, richer, or smarter than the next person.  It’s about being the best you can be.

Back in May of this year, I made a scuba dive in Cozumel.  It was an easy nitrox dive, 70 feet for 30 minutes.  Not unlike the thousands of dives I’ve made over the past 57 years.  But on this particular dive my tank seemed heavier than it usually does.  My fins didn’t propel me as fast as on prior dives.  My buoyancy was off, and I didn’t wear my wet suit because it must have shrunk over the last year and a half since my last dive. Our young Divemaster was very professional and helpful but made it her business to stay close to this ageing diver.  The dive ended without incident, but it did make me think about my age, my health, my equipment, and my ability to be a safe scuba buddy.  I know I will never be that 19-year-old Navy Diver again, but I do want to be the best and safest diver I can be at 72.

I needed a plan to optimize my diving experience.  I did not want to have any diving or travel problems that are caused by inactivity.  All of our equipment was inspected for wear and tear and items that require service were brought to our local dive store.  All of our travel documents, passports, diver certification cards, DAN memberships, and insurance policies were checked for expiration dates.  Thankfully, everything is current and in force.  I scheduled an appointment with the VA and met with an Optimization Surgeon who scanned my medical history, current medications, and blood chemistry.  She evaluated my ability to have medical procedures, my ability to respond and recover from any surgery, and ran a few tests to determine my optimization level.  The VA suggested a Physical Therapist, a Dietitian, and a Nutritionist be added to my optimization routine.  Mind you, this is an age-appropriate, doctor recommended, diet and exercise routine.

As serendipitous as it may seem, shortly before I left for a dive trip to Bonaire last week (our 4 dives in Bonaire were spectacular by the way), I spoke with Gretchen M. Ashton, from ScubaFit LLC.  “ScubaFit is the leading fitness for scuba diving resource providing scuba divers with safe and effective exercise and nutrition programs based on the health profile of the diving community and the unique demands of the underwater environment.”  In the coming months, I am hoping to learn more about Gretchen’s ScubaFit program and how it can help the Global Diving Community optimize their physical health for safer diving.

Motivated by the positive changes I have seen in my own health and diving experience, in addition to the positive reinforcement I saw in Gretchen’s specialty programs, I believe there is a great need in the Global Diving Business Network to work with dive Industry professionals to show them how to optimize their businesses for greater professionalism, productivity, and profitability.  Too much emphasis in the past has been placed on growth for numbers sake and not for sustainable growth.  Many times we see that uncontrolled growth leads to higher revenue and larger numbers but causes higher expenses and lower profitability.  We have seen a larger number of divers on the reefs of Cozumel only to have the marine parks closed by the Mexican Government for over-tourism and increased reef destruction.

I compare the dive we had in Cozumel in May to the 4 dives we had in Bonaire last week.  The dives we experienced in Bonaire with Toucan Diving and their Dive Staff were more organized, more professional, better staffed, and more enjoyable.  The Toucan Diving Staff made us want to come back for more diving.  I believe that an organized, well run, optimized diving operation makes it easier and more enjoyable for a Dive Industry Professional to do their job as a Boat Captain, Instructor, or Divemaster.  The proof is in the high retention of staff and the percentage of return customers.

We believe that optimizing your business is in fact optimizing your future and optimizing the recreational diving industry.   Let’s stop talking about NO LIMITS and get on the sustainable growth band wagon.  Optimizing Your Future is about being the best you can be – within limits.

For more information about the Global Diving Business Network, contact Gene Muchanski, Executive Director of the Dive Industry Association, 2294 Botanica Circle, West Melbourne, FL 32904.  Phone: 321-914-3778.  Email: gene@diveindustry.net  Web: www.diveindustry.net

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