🌊 10 Lessons to Position Yourself Using Only What You Know

Thinking about leaving your job—or starting to share your expertise while keeping your current role? Discover 10 storytelling lessons to turn your knowledge into a professional positioning system that attracts opportunities.

That Whisper You Can’t Ignore

Have you ever felt it? That whisper in your chest saying: “You could do more.”Maybe you’ve been thinking of leaving your job to finally bet on yourself.

Or perhaps you just want to share your knowledge alongside your current career, but you don’t know how to start—or if anyone would even care.

I know that feeling. Years ago, I was on the deck of a ship, wondering if I was destined only to follow orders. What I learned is this: your experience is not just a paycheck—it’s an asset. 

And if you know how to tell it, it becomes your bridge from employment to entrepreneurship.

Here are 10 lessons from the sea to the stage that can help you position yourself professionally—using only what you already know.

1) Discipline Is the Launchpad

Scene. My first embarkation on board merchant ship taught me something no book could: discipline is survival. Shift. Gary Vee calls consistency “the only hack that works.”

Out at sea, discipline kept me alive. On land, it builds authority. Whether you’re building a side hustle or preparing to leave your job, consistency is what separates “dreaming” from “doing.”👉 Try this: Write down one short insight every week. Don’t aim for perfection—aim for consistency.

Write down your plan if you haven't one yet. Write down your goal and how to get there. Write down your new identity. And if you already made all of it, well write daily to your community what you already know.

2) Your Niche is the safe Harbour

In 2018 I started to go from school to school to share my story and delivering tips on how to work with international companies. I haven't been in any schools, instead I have visited only Maritime Academies, because of my niche.

Jack Trout in Positioning reminds us: you don’t win by being everything to everyone—you win by being essential to someone.

Your niche is not a cage—it’s a magnet. It tells people: “This is why you need me.”

👉 Try this: Complete the sentence: “People come to me when ______.” That’s your niche.

3) Stories Beat Job Titles

In 2020, as a training officer, I realized my value wasn’t just “doing the job”—it was teaching others how to do it.

Donald Miller’s Building a StoryBrand says people remember stories, not roles.

Recently I have been invited to an international Maritime forum to speak about the Wellness on board the ships. I didn't showed them only researches and studies, instead I presented them my story, what I felt, what I did, and how these numbers were matching with my experieces.

Your story makes you memorable. Your title does not.👉 Try this: When you introduce yourself, start with a transformation story, not a job description.

Document the Journey, Don’t Wait for Perfection

At Toastmasters, I won trophies—but the real win was sharing my messy progress.

The concept of document is well shared and often describer by many mentors and succesful people such as Arnold Schwarzenegger and Gery V.

If you wait until you’re ready, you’ll wait forever. People follow journeys, not polished products.

5) LinkedIn Is Your Stage, Not Your CV

If you’re not visible on LinkedIn, you’re invisible in the market. LinkedIn is your value storefront.

Your profile is not a résumé—it’s your stage. Use it to show ideas, not just roles. This is your opportunity to connect with right audience.

Unfortunatly most of people confuse LinkedIn with any other social media, loosing a great opportunity to positionate their activities and brand.

👉 Try this: Post one idea you’d give a client or colleague. Share value first, credibility follows.

6) Build a Tribe, Not a List

“Sogniamo in Grande” my own project of Career Advisory for italian seafarers, started as a website. It became a tribe—a community that shares values, not just likes.

Seth Godin in Tribes: people want connection, not content. Even 1000 follower is alright to start your own business.

You don’t need milions of followers. You need a loyal few who trust you.

👉 Try this: Name your community. Give them a reason to feel like insiders.

7) Give Before You Ask

When people acess to my website, they can start to learn for free from my videos.

In my webinars, I gave away value—even to those who couldn’t pay me back.

Win trust first, then make requests. Generosity is your marketing strategy.

The ROI shows up later, in unexpected ways.

👉 Try this: Share one free tool, checklist, or resource that saves others time or stress.

8) Consistency Needs a Why

In Abu Dhabi, I had recently given an important Sessions on Public Speaking. In the middle of the lesson, one guy asked me the most common question_ How to improve my communication?

To build your new identity you need first a good reason to do it, in other words a strong _Why_: effort without purpose turns into boredom. Your “why” fuels your consistency—and makes others believe in you.

👉 Try this: Start your next LinkedIn post with: “Why this matters is…”

9) Networking Is About Cultivation, Not Collection

Imagine to talk in front of Thousands of people, how many of them you believe are very engaged? . Only a few.

I remember one of my first speech given on board a cruise vessel. The topic was very technical, such as the implementation of new protocol for the Polar Code Area where the ship was planned to navigate soon.

Most of the people were not interested at all, due the fact that their job or activity was not really going to be affected.

After that experience I undesrtood that I want to talk only to these persons are fully interested on my topics, and to make it, I have to create my network in all possible ways.

Keith Ferrazzi in Never Eat Alone once said: it’s about depth, not volume. Don’t collect contacts. Cultivate relationships.

👉 Try this: Choose five people you admire. Invest in them—share their work, send them value, check in.

10) Measure and Adjust the Course

On board I learned to track the routes from a place to another. Sometimes, when the winds were getting stronger, the Captain was asking me to change the course.

On stage, I learned to read the pauses and silences. Online, I read the comments and private messages.

You need a time for your self to review your plans, your outcomes and to be open to readjust your course.

👉 Try this: Every Sunday, ask: Am I happy with outcome of this week? _ If the answer is not, is time to change to routine.

Final Word — Your Knowledge Is Enough

If you’ve ever thought: “I want to quit my job but I don’t know how to start” or “I’d love to share what I know, but who would listen?”—this is your answer.

You don’t need a new degree, a big budget, or the perfect plan. You need to start telling the stories only you can tell.

👉 Ready to take the first step? Join me for a transforming experience into influence.

Because the real voyage begins when you decide to leave the safe harbor of silence.