The Big Leap

Most people live with the unconscious belief that they have access to a limited amount of happiness and success. This is not true. When we take responsibility for our lives, when we believe in ourselves, and take practical steps to realise our full potential, we come to understand that limits exist only in our minds. People who are willing to make the effort to overcome all their fears, have access to boundless happiness and satisfaction.

Adults often believe that their personality traits are innate, and that they simply have to accept and live with them. For example, if we were shy in school, we will likely carry that shyness with us into adulthood. It is important to remember that we are completely responsible for who we are, and that we have the opportunity, good fortune, and power to be able to decide who we want to become. If our shyness is holding us back, we can simply brush it aside, and become extroverted and charismatic, because it is not an innate characteristic, but more likely the result of our experiences. For example, if we were raised in a gang on the suburban streets of Chicago, our personality would probably be very different, at least in part.

This process does not happen overnight, of course, and takes commitment, technique, and conviction, but as we have seen, anything is possible, because limits only exist in our minds.

Sometimes, change can be complicated, because other people get in our way, although they often do so with the best of intentions, and without even realising it. Unfortunately, these people are often the ones closest to us. In this case, we have little choice: if we want to achieve an objective, we need to put distance between ourselves and the people who stand in our way, whether this means spending less time with our parents, or changing our circle of friends. However, we should not see change as a painful, problematic, or negative experience, because making decisions is intoxicating, taking action is invigorating, and evolving is exciting, energising, and stimulating.

Most of us have probably seen, whether in a video or in real life, a diver happily leap from a rock fifteen metres above the sea, or a parachutist jump into the void with a smile on their face. These extraordinary and honest images portray what it really means to take a huge leap forward. When watching such feats, we will likely think: “Oh wow, that’s great, but I would never do that”. Yet the people who achieve the most in their lives are those that take both small and big leaps forward, day after day. On the other hand, people who give in to their fears, and simply complain about their boring routine and unhappiness on a daily basis, end up doing nothing.

The time has come to take control of our lives, and stop looking for excuses, and we will find out how in the next chapters.