“On your mark. Get set. Go!”

Free of hesitation and thought, you race valiantly toward the finish line. You have your eyes set on the prize and nothing and no one will stand in your way. That trophy is as good as mine, you quip to yourself, MINE! I’ve trained for this. I’m born for this. I can and will do this.

But midway through the race a funny thing begins to happen. You start reminiscing about all of the other races you ran but never won, about the races you started but failed to finish, about giving your all and still coming up short.  Doubt, anxiety, fear and embarrassment cloud your focus. The finish line blurs in the distance. 

You continue to run but your stride is unsteady. Your resolve is waning. What am I doing, you ponder. What was I thinking? 

If any of this sounds familiar then you too, at one point in time or another, have had a problem with taking a leap of faith.

I think we, people like you and I, tend to romanticize what it means to take a leap of faith.  Perhaps we imagine stars aligning, lighting the way toward our destination. Perhaps we envision everything we need for the journey magically appearing and becoming available for our immediate use and pleasure. Or maybe you’re like me:  imagining white clouds parting to unveil golden sun rays that seem to glisten and single me out in a crowd of  about a thousand people. Oh and angels, lots of singing angels perhaps even chanting my name…and doing a sort of angelic wave if you will. Hey, don’t judge me. Whatever we conjure in our thoughts is often quite the opposite in reality.

See, the problem with taking a leap of faith is us, more aptly, you. You are the problem. {yea, I went there}

When the going is good, you can run swiftly with the best of them. When it’s not, you question every minute thing condemning yourself to relentless bouts with fear, anxiety, doubt and criticism. Why? Because you forget that leaping requires you to perpetually transcend the boundaries  of our comfort zone.

Think of your comfort zone as a prison; one engineered and reinforced by false beliefs formed from the negative thoughts and decisions you have accumulated during your lifetime. 

Leaping in faith mandates that you yield to the still, small voice inside you that whispers you can achieve. It means you run the risk of traveling a path that may not be well received or understood by colleagues, friends or family. When you move beyond the trappings of your comfort zone, you take the road to a freer, more joyful life.

Live. Leap. Be Fearless.

Stay Focused on Your Goals

In a race, when your focus shifts from the finish line to anything else, it slows you down. It’s impossible to maintain speed and momentum, if you’re constantly looking back. You’ve got to keep your goals, objectives and plans in the forefront of your mind. This will not only reinforce where you’re going, it’ll keep you energized and  looking for ways to get there faster.

Be Honest About What You Want or Feel

Once you’ve taken your leap, be on the lookout for signs of trouble: stagnation, frustration, lack of desire and commitment, despair and feeling like you’ve settled for less than you deserve. These are all symptoms of a greater issue: lack of honesty. To truly take a leap successfully, you have to be honest about what you want or feel. If you really hate it or don’t want it, admit it!! This frees you to identify your true desires and preps you to take steps to see them actualized.

Believe in Yourself

Don’t sentence yourself to failure by continually reminding yourself of your flaws, shortcomings, past failures, and lack of perceived accomplishments. You’re stunting your progress before you even have a chance to take a step. Stop it, now! The past is just that, passed.  You ARE smart enough, strong enough and courageous enough to cross the finish line. YOU ARE! Start acting like it.

Keep focused, be honest and believe in you!

Thanks for visiting!