I know I’ve rambled on quite a bit today, so I’ll keep this one as brief as possible, yet some that know me will say it’s not possible :)
This week has been full of discovery. From the podcast episode mentioned earlier to many personal achievements in my current journey to become a better Father, Husband, and Friend, I’ve been blessed with a constant and almost overwhelming flow of knowledge and insight. Much of this discovery has come from pushing myself outside of my comfort zone and I continue to be amazed at how quickly one can adapt to discomfort. In almost an instant, the unknown becomes known. It becomes familiar.
I’m sure most of us remember learning how to swim. We started out in the kiddie pool, splashing around and having a blast. Next, we made our way into the shallow end of the pool. There was a bit of anxiety involved as we were now in a much bigger body of water, but we could still touch the bottom so all was well. We splashed around and started gaining confidence by immersing ourselves underwater and swimming around the shallow end. What came next started out as the stuff of nightmares… the deep end. We all remember it. It seemed miles away and as big as the ocean. There were those moments when, while swimming underwater, you’d glance down at the deep end, the water, being darker and deeper, suddenly regained the status of the unknown. You were in the same body of water, but somehow it was a completely different world down there. You’d stare at the big kids, yearning to gain that accomplishment but frightened of it all at the same time. Little by little, you’d tippy toe toward it, you’d almost lose the ability to touch, and then frantically swim back towards shallower water. My guess is you had a pretty incredible support team cheering you on. Your parents, your siblings, your friends, they all knew you could do it. You’d try again and again, getting a little closer each time.
Then came the day. You found something within you that gave you the courage to venture outside your comfort zone and go for it. In an instant, you were swimming in the deep end. Personally, I’ll never forget that feeling. “I did it”, I thought to myself as I smiled from ear to ear. For the rest of that day, just as I did, you’d get out of the pool, run towards the deep end and jump in. Cannonballs, dives, belly flops, you did them all. It’s like you’d been doing it your whole life. In an instant, you traded discomfort for discovery and were rewarded with a new sense of accomplishment and certainty that you could conquer anything.
That reward is still there, yours for the taking. All you have to do is venture into the unknown and trade your discomfort for the discovery of who you are and what you are capable of. And don’t be afraid to venture into deeper waters. That support team I mentioned earlier; remember them? They’re still there, cheering you on. If you start to struggle, I assure you they’ll throw you a buoy. You’ll float to safer waters, regroup, and most importantly, you’ll try again. In the end, you’ll conquer that unknown and you’ll soon find it hard to remember what kept you from conquering it in the first place.
We all face uncertainty amidst the vast sea that we call life. Staying in the shallow end may bring you a sense of security, but that security is merely born of the fear of the unknown. Don’t live in fear. Dive in, and discover who you really are. Don’t ever forget that you’re capable of anything and nothing… NOTHING is impossible.
Brad Martin is a freelance writer with over 20 years of experience in managing people through inspiration. If he can get behind your product or message, an army will soon follow, on board and loyal to the mission.
Hiring inquiries can be sent here.