Taking Your Leap

When the time has come to leap, you may think you will have certainty.  Not so. But there are things to anticipate that may give you clarity.

Know this about taking your leap:

It is not necessary to overcome fear.  You will likely experience fear, hesitation, or anxiety. This fear may lead you to question your ability, your likelihood of succeeding, and the possibility of your demise-whatever that may mean for you. It is essential to realize that this fear is a part of your journey as a leader.

You can use the fear. It is possible to use the fear, instead of letting it hold you back.  Remember the last time you stood on a high dive? You may have felt flip flops in your stomach or a strange surge of energy through your core. Perhaps you climbed back down. Or maybe you stepped forward, entered the unknown, and bravely leaped off the board.

After having done it, the next time may be a bit easier. As leaders, we are repeatedly called to dive into the unknown, in spite of our fears about it. We must use the fear to inform us of the dangers, and to provide us with data that will help us make good decisions. But we must not allow this fear to make our decisions for us.

Acknowledging your progress is imperative. Having faced your fear and moved forward, the experience post-leap may be positive or negative. Regardless, acknowledge the progress made. If the experience is less than desirable, learn from it. You are wiser for the experience, far wiser than if you were still contemplating the leap. And if you are successful, build on this experience and use it as a platform for further growth.

Others will tell you why this leap is a bad idea. They will tell you why it cannot be done, what there is to fear, and why it is not worth the risk.  Let them speak, but do not be swayed.  If you are to lead, you must set the example for others so that they can see that even when you take a risk and fail, it is possible to move forward and make progress.  If you believe you cannot succeed, you may be right. But if you believe you can, you are halfway there.

“Do not attempt to do a thing unless you are sure of yourself, but do not relinquish it simply because someone else is not sure of you.”  ~ Steward E. White

What is calling you now? What small, sweet leaps are you taking to bring you closer to experiencing the exhilaration of moving bravely in a direction that might take you and others to a new level of mastery?

Image credit: Mark Zilberman