This was, without a doubt, the most difficult project I’ve ever been a part of—and possibly ever will be.

Our team started off with big ambitions, thinking we could take on any challenge. That was our first mistake. Early on, we lacked a structured way to communicate and kept putting off progress. It wasn’t until the halfway point that we realized we needed to take action or we’d have nothing to present. We began organizing regular meetings and using team chats more effectively. Once we established consistent communication, things started to move forward.

We quickly discovered that our biggest weakness was project management. From that moment, we made it a priority to improve how we interacted and held each other accountable. For me, this experience was eye-opening. It taught me how to step up and lead when things weren’t progressing, even when it wasn’t easy.

With persistence and a great deal of effort, we built a working boat that reached our planned checkpoint. It wasn’t perfect, and it certainly came with its share of setbacks—but what makes this project so meaningful to me isn’t just the success. It’s how we handled the failures, learned from them, and grew stronger as a team because of it.