My first time on an airplane was when I flew to Philadelphia to interview for a position as a flight attendant. I remember sitting there and taking off for the very first time, thinking nervously to myself, "this is it". I recall the flight being slightly bumpy just before we hit cruising altitude and then we coasted to what felt to me like outer space. I had so many thoughts going through my head, "this could be the best decision or the worst decision of my life," I said.
In a world that breeds assurance, many people hesitate to venture outside of their perceived realm of security. And this, in my opinion, is the reason why many people never fully accomplish their dreams. We realize them, often dream about them, but rarely do we execute them. The fear paralyzes us. For some, it's the fear of what others will say and the fear of looking like a failure. And understandably so. At a time where it seems that everyone is chasing the same dream, it can be intimidating when you compare your talents to the next. For me, the love of the art is what compels me to continue pursuing my dream, against all odds. To not do so would be a disservice to myself.
To do this, I asked myself two important questions. What is the best thing that can happen if I do this? And secondly, what is the worst thing that can happen? Just pondering those questions gave me an amalgam of emotions. I felt motivated, anxious, happy and inspired all at the same time. More than anything, however, I felt compelled. For me, the answer of the worst that could happen is actually what motivated me more than the best thing. Have you ever really taken the time to think of the worst thing that could happen if you never pursued your dream?
For 10 different people, there may be 10 different responses, because everyone has different values. Some people value money while others value experiences, people or things. No answer is right no more than it's wrong. It's based on who you are and what you believe. Therefore, the answer to the questions will depend on our set of beliefs.
I've always been somewhat of a risk-taker, but that's not to say that it hasn't come without fear. But for me, the possibility of what happens when I don't take risks scares me more than anything else. Mark Twain once wrote, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do... Explore. Dream. Discover."
To find out more about how I overcame my fear , check out my blog.
