Leap and the Net Will Appear
The number one thing that keeps us from achieving our goals is fear. FEAR stands for False Expectations Appearing Real. How many times have you made yourself sick with worry (aka “fear”) only to realize that once you faced your fear and moved forward, it wasn’t so bad after all? We’ve all been there.
A long time ago - and I don’t even recall what it was in reference to - someone told me, “Leap and the net will appear.” Since then, I have leaped so many times - even though I was afraid - and the net appeared every time. Part of our fear comes from the famous “unknown.” If it is something we’ve never done before, it is scary. We might fail. But we’ve all failed many times, and we just keep getting back up and trying again.
My most recent “leap” was a real leap, not a figurative one. I ziplined for the first time a few days ago. Basically, ziplining involves strapping on a harness, hooking on to a very thick cable, stepping off a platform high in the treetops, and “zipping” across to another platform to land in the distant treetops.
The scariest part is that first step, or “leap,” off the platform. Even though we are told that the cable can support something like 15,000 pounds, the carabiners attaching us to the cable 10,000 pounds, and more safety statistics, we were all still pretty scared.
While I was on the first platform, I thought about that advice, “Leap and the net will appear.” I knew that it was going to be ok, but I had allowed fear to enter my head, thus creating a higher heart rate and shaky knees to name only a few things.
We made 7 zips total, and each time, they became less scary and more fun. Each time we do something that challenges us to face our fears, we become stronger people. So, the next time you are facing a scary challenge, just take the plunge - Leap and the net WILL appear.