Jump
When you get the opportunity to do something new or scary, don’t let fear hold you back. Go for it, take the plunge, and jump.
Our seventh grade class field trip was to Earthshine Lodge, in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. One of the activities we got to participate in was a ropes course. There were several segments to cross between trees, before reaching a rope swing from one platform to another. After the rope swing were a few more tree segments, and a final zipline back down to the ground.
I made it through the first segments of the ropes course without any problems. Even without any athletic ability to speak of, I could make it from tree to tree. Everything went fine until I got to the rope swing. The gap wasn’t extremely far, and participants were secured with a harness, but I simply wasn’t confident in my ability to make it across, or the guide’s ability to catch me. There was an exit from that platform back down to ground level, and I took that exit from the course.
Some others took that exit with me, but several finished out the course and rode the zipline down at the end. Watching how much fun that zipline was, I started to regret my decision. If I had just pushed through and gotten across that swing, I would have gotten to ride the zipline as well. Instead, I got to see my classmates do it, and talk about how much fun it was after the fact.
To this day, I regret not taking that rope swing across and sliding down the zipline. I have since done other ropes courses, and taken ziplines, and they are tremendously fun. However, that Earthshine ropes course had a lasting impact on my life in many different areas. I learned that you’ll regret more what you didn’t do, than what you did.
Jumping off a cliff? Did it. Ziplining? Check. White water rafting? Absolutely.
Occasionally, I learned that it just wasn’t for me. Those nesting gyroscope carnival rides? My body just does not handle it well. My equilibrium just goes out the window, and I go from fine to extreme nausea within a matter of seconds. BUT, I didn’t let fear or hesitation hold me back. I did it, and I learned that it’s an awful experience for me. Even if I don’t ever get on one again (I probably won’t), I tried it.
This even goes beyond recreation and extreme sports. When I worked for RedSail, I was hesitant to take another job because I was comfortable. What if I don’t like the people? What if I’m not good at the work? It was easier to stay at a place I knew, even if it wasn’t ideal, rather than venture out into other jobs.
When I was laid off from RedSail, I was forced to find another job. I didn’t have that status quo to stick with, so I didn’t have an option to stay where I was. Since then, I’ve worked some jobs that I liked, as well as some jobs that I hated. I won’t ever stay somewhere just for comfort anymore. If I find myself in a position that I don’t like, I’ll just keep looking forward.
Now I’m not saying that you should blindly act without caution or research. I have jumped off cliffs, but only after I saw others do it and checked that the water beneath was deep enough. Rarely will I be the first to do something, but I’ll get in line to be the second in a heartbeat. Don’t be stupid, but don’t be afraid, either.
At the end of the day, my life is mine to live. I can’t force anyone else to do something they don’t want to do, or that they aren’t comfortable doing. I wouldn’t want to do that anyway. All I’m saying is that I have personally gotten much more pleasure out of life by stepping out of my comfort zone, doing things I wasn’t sure about, and living with the certainty and knowledge that I can’t change the past. And I want other people to be afforded that same luxury. I encourage everyone to get out there and try any opportunity that life presents.
When you get the chance, jump.
Our seventh grade class field trip was to Earthshine Lodge, in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina. One of the activities we got to participate in was a ropes course. There were several segments to cross between trees, before reaching a rope swing from one platform to another. After the rope swing were a few more tree segments, and a final zipline back down to the ground.
I made it through the first segments of the ropes course without any problems. Even without any athletic ability to speak of, I could make it from tree to tree. Everything went fine until I got to the rope swing. The gap wasn’t extremely far, and participants were secured with a harness, but I simply wasn’t confident in my ability to make it across, or the guide’s ability to catch me. There was an exit from that platform back down to ground level, and I took that exit from the course.
Some others took that exit with me, but several finished out the course and rode the zipline down at the end. Watching how much fun that zipline was, I started to regret my decision. If I had just pushed through and gotten across that swing, I would have gotten to ride the zipline as well. Instead, I got to see my classmates do it, and talk about how much fun it was after the fact.
To this day, I regret not taking that rope swing across and sliding down the zipline. I have since done other ropes courses, and taken ziplines, and they are tremendously fun. However, that Earthshine ropes course had a lasting impact on my life in many different areas. I learned that you’ll regret more what you didn’t do, than what you did.
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”The quote above sums it up best (although I’ve never seen the movie), and I can confirm that with personal experience. Since that moment at Earthshine when I chose not to finish the ropes course, I have not let another experience pass me by because I opted out from fear. There have been restrictions that made me unable, like weight and skydiving (they don’t mix, if you were wondering). If I had the opportunity, though, I took it.
― Jackson Brown Jr., P.S. I Love You
Jumping off a cliff? Did it. Ziplining? Check. White water rafting? Absolutely.
Occasionally, I learned that it just wasn’t for me. Those nesting gyroscope carnival rides? My body just does not handle it well. My equilibrium just goes out the window, and I go from fine to extreme nausea within a matter of seconds. BUT, I didn’t let fear or hesitation hold me back. I did it, and I learned that it’s an awful experience for me. Even if I don’t ever get on one again (I probably won’t), I tried it.
This even goes beyond recreation and extreme sports. When I worked for RedSail, I was hesitant to take another job because I was comfortable. What if I don’t like the people? What if I’m not good at the work? It was easier to stay at a place I knew, even if it wasn’t ideal, rather than venture out into other jobs.
When I was laid off from RedSail, I was forced to find another job. I didn’t have that status quo to stick with, so I didn’t have an option to stay where I was. Since then, I’ve worked some jobs that I liked, as well as some jobs that I hated. I won’t ever stay somewhere just for comfort anymore. If I find myself in a position that I don’t like, I’ll just keep looking forward.
"Life's simple, you make choices and you don't look back."I used to worry a lot about “what if?” What if I would’ve taken that job? What if I would have stayed? What if I did whatever? But I’ve learned that wondering what if doesn’t get you anywhere. The quote above has become a sort of life motto for me. You make the decision, and you go with it. Looking back won’t change anything, so why bother?
- Han, The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift
Now I’m not saying that you should blindly act without caution or research. I have jumped off cliffs, but only after I saw others do it and checked that the water beneath was deep enough. Rarely will I be the first to do something, but I’ll get in line to be the second in a heartbeat. Don’t be stupid, but don’t be afraid, either.
At the end of the day, my life is mine to live. I can’t force anyone else to do something they don’t want to do, or that they aren’t comfortable doing. I wouldn’t want to do that anyway. All I’m saying is that I have personally gotten much more pleasure out of life by stepping out of my comfort zone, doing things I wasn’t sure about, and living with the certainty and knowledge that I can’t change the past. And I want other people to be afforded that same luxury. I encourage everyone to get out there and try any opportunity that life presents.
When you get the chance, jump.
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