Failing Forward
I grew up as a gymnast. Which means on any given day I was working on a new skill in order to improve my starting score values. The process of learning a new skill involved watching someone else attempt it successfully and not successfully, studying the mechanics and technique, visualization, using various training devices to get a feel for the movement and air sense, strength and conditioning, and practicing it over and over again with a coach spotting me.
Inevitably the time came when it was time to do it without a spot. My coach and my teammates all knew it was time. The only person with any doubt was me. This is where the thoughts and fears of getting hurt or killing myself would set in. And I would have to consciously and purposefully bypass those fears and tell myself something else to give me the confidence to try:
“Fuck it. Just go for it.”
And I would. And sometimes I fell, but only because I held back a little out of fear. And even then it didn’t result in injury or death. So my next attempt would be with full effort and I would hit and it would feel GREAT. Then the inevitable “well that wasn’t so bad" thought would pop up and I would almost feel silly for holding back for so long.
We are not born 100% brave. Yes, there are some people that are naturally less risk-averse than others, but for the most part we all have to learn and practice consciously and purposefully operating outside our default state of fear in order to move forward. I honestly believe that my gymnastics training helped train my brain to be less fearful about trying new things in adulthood. I can look at something new head on, feel the fear, and (eventually) go for it anyway.
And so can YOU. Your brain has the ability to undergo neuroplastic changes throughout your entire life. That’s why the more you try and fail at something, the easier trying something new gets. Why would we ever want to fail? Because failing results in growth! If you look back at times that you failed at something the worst thing that happened was that you felt discomfort for a bit. Are you willing to feel some discomfort if it means getting closer to your dream or your ideal life?
What’s something that you have been holding back on doing?