Knocked down.
I’ve been there. I think we all have. Sometimes I shook when I tried to rise again – scared, afraid, wondering if I would be able to face what was in front of me. I would tremble wondering if it was possible for me to face another setback.
This story existed for quite some time. And yet, because of the fear of getting knocked down again…
It would inevitably happen.
Not because of life just doing its thing. Trust me – it will boot you it sees fit. Instead, this was being knocked down because of playing it safe.
Whenever you are too timid, you end up messing everything up anyways.
There’s nothing wrong with understanding the situation, the risks and rewards associated with it and doing your legwork before you head into something. But when you are going to go for it…you really have to go for it. Life doesn’t reward those who sit around playing it safe too afraid to go after what they want.
No…
The rewards are given to those who take the biggest risks and throw themselves into something time and time again with the belief that they will eventually accomplish it…no matter how many times they have failed.
Risk it all.
Because it’s in the risk that you truly come alive.
When you step into your greatest fears you end up realizing that there was nothing to really be afraid of in the first place. It was all shadows dancing around your mind. It was fear shaking in its own boots because it witnessed itself. I’ve never really been scared of a legitimate threat…most of the time it’s something that I’ve completed conceited in my own mind.
That’s where you lose the war.
In your mind.
Because if any negativity or fear can beat you in your mind, you’re done. You’re body won’t be able to do anything and you will live in a cage that you’ve only built for yourself. No one is holding you back from doing what you want to do or being who you want to be…
It’s your own thoughts about the world and about yourself that have you caged up and suffering.
Risk.
The opportunity to go for it or to play it safe.
And that’s the ultimate struggle isn’t it? Because we’ve all risked before. We’ve all gone for it and got completely burned and destroyed. But what in the world makes you think that you were going to get it right the first time you did it? I mean please…
When have you ever done something completely perfect the first time you did it?
So why is there this “it has to work out” expectation around everything?” There’s nothing you can really do to control the outcome that lives completely in the unknown. Nothing at all.
The only thing you can do is challenge yourself to give your absolute best effort and know that you will continue trying until it really does come together. You will know the moment it clicks. You will know when it all comes together and when you still have work to do.
The challenge is the thing that should motivate you to continue working hard.
The space in between where you are and where you truly want to be in the end is something that should motivate you…not discourage you.
But you’re not going to get there by just putting your toe in the water.
You have to dive in.
You have to work for it.
Sweat for it.
Dream about it.
And continue the journey until you reach an end that you have absolutely no idea what it will exactly look like or what it will be like. But you can fully trust that you will have the right feeling when you arrive.
Faith. Persistence. Risk.
This is your life. You only have one. You should go for it.
Evan Sanders
The Better Man Project