One of the things I enjoy most about summer time is swimming outdoors. I've always been a swimmer, but just don't have the same enjoyment when I'm swimming indoors. This summer I've been swimming laps nearly every weekday at the city's outdoor pool, and am starting to dread the loss of this pastime when the pool closes in a few weeks. But today something special happened, something that reminded me how we tend to put off facing our fears.
As I was kicking my way across the pool, I watched as a young girl of eight or nine tried to muster up the courage to jump off the high diving board at the pool. Her friends were urging her on, but she was afraid; in fact, she seemed frozen at the end of the diving board, looking down at the water, but unable to make the leap into its depths.
I watched her for awhile, then swam a few laps, then watched again. The clamor from her friends was getting louder and more insistent. Even some of the lifeguards had joined in, encouraging her to take the plunge. But she just couldn't do it, and after about 10 minutes of indecision, she turned around and climbed back down the ladder in defeat. I couldn't see the look on her face, but I could remember times in my life when I'd backed out of a challenge, and how badly I felt afterwards.
Ever been in that place, where you know you really want to do something, but when it comes right down to, you can't, or, more accurately, don't do it? You pump yourself up with the dream of what it would be like to achieve a certain goal; you may even see yourself after the fact, basking in the glow of success. But you stall when it comes time to actually doing the activity that's necessary to reach the goal.
Perhaps you dream of having a relationship, but you don't make the call to invite that special someone out to dinner. You dream of traveling, but you don't make the necessary plans to actually go anywhere. Or you imagine a successful career as a writer, but you don't discipline yourself to actually writing the book. Sound familiar?
What does it take to move from dreaming about the future to actually making that future happen? Quite simply, it takes a leap of faith, a willingness to plunge in, to invest our energy in that very thing we are most afraid of doing. What holds us back? Fear....of success, of failure, of disappointment, of change.
Naturally, it's much easier to dream about reaching our goals than it is to work towards making those goals happen. But think about this: do you want to be like that little girl...stuck at the end of the diving board, frozen by fear until you eventually give up on those cherished dreams? I hope not.
As I continued swimming laps, I heard the noise of people cheering again, and when I looked over to the diving boards, I saw the girl standing on the edge of the board again. However this time, with only a bit of hesitation, she made the jump! When she got out of the pool, many kids came over to congratulate her, slapping her on the back in recognition of her success. She had a big smile on her face, and all of us who were watching were thrilled for her achievement. And what did she do next? She went right back to the high diving board to do it again! Her quantum leap put her in the "winner's circle," and she had moved into a new realm of understanding what she is capable of. I wonder what her next challenge will be?
As I watched her, it reminded me of times when I've felt exhilarated after doing something scary...or sticking to a long-term goal until it was achieved. It's so important to remember that we'll always be facing these scary moments of change and growth, and it's only by forging ahead that we can become more. Every quantum leap we take helps us build our courage, enabling us to take on greater and greater challenges. Next time you face a seemingly insurmountable goal, I'd encourage you to think of this small girl facing her fears and the results of her efforts. Take your own quantum leap, and see what happens!
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