Fear of Falling
“He who will not risk can not win.”- John Paul Jones
“If you never fall you aren’t trying hard enough”- Mike Matsumura
In business, in research, and in life, the importance of taking calculated risks can’t be underestimated. We prepare ourselves, study, practice, pilot test new ideas, etc. But at some point you just have to put yourself out there. That’s where I found myself a few months ago. Interestingly enough, a milestone in my yoga practice coincided with a change in my business and the synergy of the two was pretty powerful.
I recently learned to do a headstand in the middle of the room, after a couple of years of practicing at varying distances from the comfort of the wall. Initially, I leaned against the wall, placing my hands very close to it and using it to keep from falling over backwards. Eventually I learned how to fall without injury, but still I rarely ventured away from that source of security. I still used the wall for several months after I was stable enough that I didn’t really need it. Yet like so many of us, I wanted a safety net just in case.
Finally, at about the same time that I quit my day job to pursue independent consulting and writing full time, I made my move away from the wall. In my business, my life, and on the mat I was no longer afraid of falling. I trusted my gut and went for it… and I haven’t looked back since. Do I fall? Sure I do, but I have learned to laugh and try it again.
It may take a long time to find the necessary balance and courage. Furthermore, once you get up there, you really can’t declare victory. Check! Goal achieved! …No matter how often you practice, there is a constant shifting of the weight in your arms, engagement of the core muscles and quadriceps, and mental focus required to stay inverted. Likewise as an entrepreneur one must constantly balance current clients, new projects, and the nuts and bolts of becoming profitable. Just like most things in life, if we take anything for granted and lose focus, we are likely to fall.
And what of falling? Sometimes it hurts, but if we keep getting back up we fall less often and learn to laugh when we do. These days I am not afraid to fail in yoga, business, or life. I fall. I get back up. Of course, there have been some significant tumbles on all fronts. Yet even with those experiences, I’m glad I have the courage to take risks. It feels good and symbolic to stand on my head in the middle of the room, strong and unafraid. I will probably fall again- in many different ways, but it beats sitting on my mat (or in an unsatisfying job) wishing I had tried.
So what’s your headstand equivalent? What would you risk in business or in life if you had no fear of falling?
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