There comes a time in everyone's life where you have two hard choices. Jump and take the leap, or play it safe and stay stagnant. When you are in this moment it seems like a once in a life time, impossible choice...BUT IT'S NOT. For a person like me, a young, naive kid who just entered the workforce, you feel that a choice like this would define your life in a really good way or a really bad way. Every one "suffers" through this in their life. My advice, when you're young and you don't have a lot to risk: jump, fall, and fly. What I like to tell people, is that they should stay true to themselves. It's like a roller coaster ride:

1. The Build Up.

There is usually a huge build up in the beginning and as you are going up, you don't know if it's the right choice to be on that ride, you want to get out, and you start to regret the decision. But like life, you are strapped in. Yes you have a chance to get out if you really push, but you stay in, just to see what happens. As you go up the hill, you hear the "tick, tick, tick, tick" noise, it's scary. You think to yourself, "What if it breaks down as I am up there?" As this point, you are only HALF WAY up. So what now? As the same thought cycles through your head, it kind of numbs out. When you are on top of the hill, you stop at the highest point. Things seem motionless, your hands are clinching your seat, your knuckles are turning white, your legs are shaking, and your heart is pumping at a million miles per hour. This is what I like to call the build up to any situation (big or small).

So how does this relate to real life? Thinking about a roller coaster analogy and how something so small can relate to such a big problem in your life, seems ridiculous. But in some way or form, it makes sense. Let's say you were trying to decide what college to go to, let's say, Princeton Law or Harvard Law. When you're 18, you see that each one of these decisions could set your life on different paths. The build up in this scenario is the decision making process. To an outsider, it's a simple decision. For instance, in my head, either colleges will set you up for a great future. To you, it's different.

2. The Jump.

This part of the roller coaster is scary, the worst part. Everything seems bliss, just for a second, then you drop. Your heart feels like it's flew to your stomach, you are screaming at the top of your lungs, and your eyes are closed while you hair flies off your head. And then before you know it, it's over. It turns out, you are loving the experience, and you are smiling, and you are looking forward to each turn and twist coming up.

This is the college decision from the example above. After much deliberation, you pick Princeton Law. At first it feels amazing and "bliss," you made the decision to change your life. Then it hits you, did you make the right decision? What if you picked Harvard? Why did I pick this? You realize it's too late now, and you decide to go with your decision. You realize once you get there, that this is the best decision you made. You made friends, you've joined clubs and you are getting good grades and you are excited for what life has to throw at you.

3. Fly.

Before you know it, the ride is over. You had a great time. You don't think about your anxiety and nerves when they were on overload, you look back and say how great the overall experience was. After you look back, you realize, what's next? You have just dominated the biggest roller coaster in the park... then you realize that the "big" roller coaster you just went on isn't the biggest one in the park. All that suspense and reward for nothing? No, you are motivated now and you realize that the previous roller coaster was a good start and good training for you to take the biggest one on. As you get closer, you realize how big this roller coaster is, 3 times bigger than the previous one. You get scared and apprehensive about if you should go. The memory of your anxiety and nervousness come back. All the negatives are coming into your head now. The same thought process goes through your brain, "This is a bigger decision than previous, should I do it? what I did before was good enough, I'm too scared..." You weigh the pros and cons and you see people around you contemplating the same thing and walking away. You decide that the risk is worth it, and that you aren't going to take it safe like the rest of the people. You do it....and after, you realize that the decision was totally worth it and that was the best time you have had in your life.

Let's say this takes place after college, you have finished with a 4.0 and now you are applying for jobs. Your options are to do what you have always loved and travel the world and help a third world country get clean, accessible water or start a job as a lawyer at one of the top firms in NYC. Your biggest problem before this was picking colleges and now this seems so much harder. It's like comparing apples and oranges, it seems impossible. After weighing the pros and cons, you decide to go with your heart and travel to help out the third world country. This huge jump and change in your life path is what I call flying, the opportunity to jump as high and as far as you want without looking back.

Life throws so many things at you and it's different for everyone. Don't look at others and compare, that's not going to help you. Every one has a story that defines who they are and what actions they are to take next. Stay true to yourself and fly. It's okay to hit a few bumps here and there but keep on moving forward. Every one gets a chance, my advice, take it.

"What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"

- Romans 8:31