Leaps of faith

An organization asked me to give a talk at their meeting last night. During dinner, I sat next to one of the officers. She told me about a business she had started and asked advice.

Her situation was that she had worked for one large company for years and was able to retire fairly early. Then, she started a business. It started off pretty well and then plateaued.

I asked a few questions and determined she was running it like a part-time business. To get to the next level, she needed to commit all her time and resources, in my opinion.

She asked if that would guarantee success. I said that it wouldn’t. That would be up to the viability of her strategic plan and how well she executed it. The only thing that was guaranteed was that she wouldn’t go much further without that leap of faith.

Something similar occurred this past weekend on a kayaking trip. On this river, we always stop at a number of play spots. At one of them, the river swiftly crashes into the pointed end of a rock island, forming a small pillow of water. To the left is a group of craggy rocks that you don’t want to be dumped into. To the right are a single rock and then the main channel on the other side of that.

The object of playing the spot is to drive your boat hard, as though you want to smash the left side of the point and, at the last second, flick it to the right and down the narrow chute between the rock and the island. If you’re not very aggressive, you’ll just be swept down the channel by the main current before you reach the chute. If you drive hard and don’t flick the boat, there’s some chance you’re thrown into the rocks on the left.

I gave the instructions to a newcomer who was having problems. She was approaching tentatively and never getting close to the chute because the bulk of the fast water pushed her down the channel to the right before she reached it.

I understood. By going hard and a little left, your eyes tell you that you’re either going to careen into the crags on that side or skewer yourself on the point. Your brain gets the message and slows your stroke.

I told her she had to override that and go strong, like she was trying to knock the tip off the island. She asked if that would assure she would drop into the chute. No, but you’re not going to get there without going hard at it. Your decision. Make the leap of faith for the brass ring or just float down the channel and play it safe.

She went all out, pulled it off and was elated. It’s the same with starting a business and other things in life. It’s often required to totally commit and run the risks to attain the next level and enjoy the benefits thereof.

Of course, sometimes you crash into the rocks.