Most people overestimate what they can do in a year and underestimate what they can do in a decade.
Bill Gates
A couple of years ago I went skydiving in Australia. For those who don’t know, some people can get a bit nervous in the time leading up to the jump. I was not exempt from this feeling. The intensity only seemed to rise as the day approached. Something about jumping out of a plane from 15,000 feet just didn’t feel comfortable…
When the moment came, we inched ourselves toward the open door of the plane and began counting down from three. On zero, we pushed ourselves out and we were in free fall. To my surprise, the fear suddenly dropped away and what was left was a calm, blissful state.
At that moment I knew all of the fear leading up to this jump was just in my mind. I had been scared for no reason. I was just sitting there days earlier in perfect safety but my mind was already busy projecting fearful outcomes. The actual skydiving itself was one of the most blissful states I’ve ever experienced, yet my mind had twisted my perception of what it would be.
What we want most in life lies on the other side of fear. However, Just because you’re not where you want to be, that doesn’t mean this is where you have to end up.
I want you to try something. Imagine a documentary crew is following you around. Right now it’s the beginning of a Rocky-esque movie and you’re the main character. You’ve probably got some ok habits in place but you’re not where you want to be. You’re making decisions that if you were watching yourself on screen, you’d likely judge negatively.
You’re doing things that a character at the beginning of their hero’s journey would do. You’re waking up and hitting the snooze button. You’re staying up late watching tv and playing on your phone. You aren’t nourishing your body with the proper food. You’re not prioritizing those that are most important to you.
But this is what we like in a movie. We want to see someone who starts out low, even lower than where we are now, and comes up through the ranks of their own insecurities. They fight off their inner demons, learn what they’re really made of, and become a new version of themselves in the process.
Now’s your chance for a Rocky-style training montage except instead of waking up at 4 am and drinking half a dozen raw eggs you might be waking up at 6:30 and going for a 20-minute run. Instead of punching a pine tree in the woods in the middle of the winter, you’re taking a few minutes to meditate before work.
The hero’s journey looks different for each of us but nonetheless, it’s a journey we must all take if we want to see what we are capable of.
Challenges and obstacles aren’t meant to deter us from our dreams but rather they are there to prepare us for them. These struggles bring out the true strength of our character.
When Rocky fights Apollo Creed in the first Rocky movie, he is going up against the best heavyweight fighter in the world, someone who has never let an opponent make it the full 15 rounds. Rocky takes a beating but goes the distance. He stays on his feet and although he loses the fight, his satisfaction at the end of the movie is one of contentment as he knows he became a better man in the process, one who doesn’t back down from a challenge in life.
Who we become in this life means far more than what we accomplish. The next challenge you face is bound to test whatever it is you’ve just learned and then some. This is one of the great cycles of life. This is what fuels our development into our best selves. Without outside pressure, diamonds would never have the chance to form.
When we pray to God or the Universe for courage, do you think He gives us courage, or does He give us an opportunity to be courageous? When we ask for discipline do you think He gifts us discipline or does He give us the opportunity to be disciplined? What do you think happens when we ask for strength?
We are constantly getting what we ask for. The misconception, however, is that we aren’t required to meet the universe halfway. The universe presents you with opportunities and you must now do the work. No one is here to push you. No one is here to make you learn life’s lessons. This one’s on you now.
Do the hard things. You’re physically and mentally putting in work for yourself. It’s an investment in you with the idea that you’re not only worth it but also destined for something bigger than what you’re doing right now.
What we want most in ourselves is to prove that we are worthy, that we were the best we could be. Taking the first step toward your fears, toward your demons, is what will truly bring you a sense of fullness and purpose in this life. At the end of this life, I know I won’t have regrets for the things I did, but rather for the things I didn’t do. So take that first step. Be the hero of your own life.
MLK once said, “If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But by all means, keep moving.”