Stop looking over your cliff, just jump already!
I know you’re probably thinking WTH. Lol, I get it, often jumping off of a cliff is a bad thing but not this time. Let me explain.
First, picture this.
You’re standing at the top of this cliff and you’re constantly peaking over the edge. You walk to the edge, look down, take a step back, move back up, and look over one more time. You keep going back and forth, back and forth on whether or not to jump.
Should I do it?
Am I ready?
Okay, I got this.
Let’s do this!
No, not yet, a few more seconds.
Time keeps passing by.
Yes…no…yes…no.
You just can’t seem to make a decision. Alas, you think you’re ready, you take a few steps back to get a running start. You take the first step. You’re doing good, you’re at full speed. Running and running and running and just as you take that last step….you stop. You can’t do it. You’re not ready and you’re back at square one. You start pacing back and forth, contemplating yet again if you’re ready or not to take this leap.
Does this story sound familiar? I know. We’ve all been there.
This story is not just about some cool adventure about that time you dove into some famous body of water. It’s the challenge of living versus simply existing. It’s a battle we face within ourselves each and every day. We all know the right decision to make but yet we struggle to finally commit to it.
Your cliff is your comfort zone. It’s everything you know and what you’re used to. Your cliff is where you are today and you are there standing tall (possibly even pacing back and forth). Below the cliff (the thing you keep staring down at) is the area or thing that makes you get uncomfortable. It is unchartered territory BUT it’s where that big goal/dream is. You get my drift now? The only way to reach that goal or enter that new phase in life is to what? Jump! You have to jump off of your cliff and enter a new realm of uncomfortableness to get to the next step.
This lesson on jumping was taught to me almost three years ago. Please don’t be like me and let years go by before you jump. There was a video at the time circulating of Steve Harvey (great man!). I’ve listened to it periodically over the years and it keeps me motivated when I lose perspective. I highly encourage you to check it out (and bookmark it).
If you click on the video it should open in a new tab. Feel free to watch it now, but be sure to come back.
Welcome back! Great video, right? Okay, let’s get back into it.
There are officially less than 50 days left in 2018. If you’re a part of my e-mail tribe then you’ve probably heard my rant about how time waits for no one. If you’re not subscribed to my e-mails, then I forgive you (also subscribe here).
Often when we enter a new year, we have all these hopes and a laundry list of goals to accomplish. However, by February (ok ok, March) we have lost the momentum and push completing the goal off until the next month. Let’s be real for a second, how many times have you said I’ll start next month and then next month comes and you put it off again? I’ve done it more times than I’ll actually like to admit to, especially when it comes to working out or eating healthier. We love screaming “new year, who dis” but in actuality, it’s the same us and the same bad habits.
A change of date doesn’t mean you’re changing. If you want to change or a change, you have to be about that action. You can’t just talk about the change, make the change.
Ladies, you know how in relationships we tell our men “actions speak louder than words,” yeah it’s the same thing when it comes to accomplishing our goals.
How do you expect your dream to come to fruition if you’re not actively working towards it? Trust me, the universe isn’t that nice, it’s not just going to drop your dream in your lap one day. If God doesn’t see you’re working, I promise you (speaking proudly from experience) He will wait you out until you get off your behind and get to work. He will win every time. Trust me, I tried and the man is stubborn.
Remember: Faith without work is dead.
I say all this to say, what is holding you back? What is stopping you from going after your goals today? Why would you wait until January 1 to start working towards your dream, when you can just start today?
Just think. If you started today, at least come up with your action plan, where could you be by January 1?
So today I encourage you to take that leap. JUMP! You’ll never know what’s below the cliff until you jump. Now I’m not telling you this jump is going to be pretty. It’s going to be hard, it’s going to hurt. You’ll think to yourself hundreds of thousands of times if you made the right decision and how you should have stayed on top of that cliff but the reward you’re going to get from jumping off that cliff is much greater than the reward you would have gotten by staying on that cliff.
The greater the risk, the greater the reward.
There’s no limit to what can be below your cliff. It could be leaving your job, starting a new business, picking up a new hobby, getting back into an old hobby, leaving an old relationship, dating, buying a house, etc. What’s on the other side of everyone’s cliff is different and unique to them. Don’t think that your idea is too big or too small to require a jump. But if it scares you or you keep talking yourself out of going after it, it requires a jump.
Speaking of talking ourselves out of something, this brings me to my final point…
SILENCE YOUR MIND! Your mind is a powerful tool, sometimes good and sometimes bad. We would like to think the one thing holding us back is other people or something out of our control when really it’s us. I have talked myself out of so many different ventures and going after various opportunities because it was uncomfortable and I was scared. “Oh, I need more time. I don’t have time. I’ll have time after x-y-z. I need more money. I need to take this class first. I need to move here first.” With the utmost respect, SHUT UP! You will not be able to take that first step off of your cliff until you gain control over your thoughts and silence your mind.
Excuses are for the weak.
Okay, I know this was pretty heavy so let’s sum it up in three (3) points.
- Staying in your comfort zone doesn’t produce growth. You’ll grow the most when you’re the most uncomfortable.
- Make sure you’re working towards your goals just as much as you’re talking about them.
- Stop talking yourself out of doing something. Gain control over your thoughts and get sh** done!
Moral of the story:
You’re never going to actually be ready but that doesn’t mean not to jump.
If you wait until you think you have everything together, you’re going to miss out on the opportunity. –Majesty Acheampong
Faith over fear. Taking your leap today, JUMP!
Your words are so encouraging and POWERFUL! I could hear your voice in my head as I read each line.