A few years ago, I paddled 470 kilometres down the Hunter River from its source in the Barrington Tops to the ocean at Newcastle.

I thought the challenge would be physical.

Instead, it became a lesson in patience.

Along the way I battled wind, tide, shallow water and the constant feeling that I should be further ahead than I was. The harder I tried to force progress, the more frustrated I became.

What the river taught me is something I've since encountered while building businesses, raising a daughter, studying psychology and pursuing meaningful goals:

You can't rush a river.

In this episode, I explore what the Hunter River taught me about patience, adaptation, expectations and why many of the things that matter most in life simply refuse to operate on our preferred timeline.

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