Last Friday, two of our VLC teammates, Diane and Doug, took their first flying lesson. As they donned their airplane headsets, I couldn’t help but flash back to Top Gun. The beginning of Danger Zone by Kenny Loggins began playing in my head.
Okay, maybe it wasn’t quite that dramatic. After all, it did take the instructor about 20 minutes to do his inspections before even getting them into the plane. Then it was another 20 minutes before they taxied to the runway. After a while, the song I was hearing was more like Learning to Fly by Tom Petty.
Still, doing something new takes courage. Skydiving, which Diane has done, and learning to fly may be on the more daring spectrum of new endeavors. But doing anything new means that you might actually experience a certain amount of fear.
Phrases like, “It’s too much”, “It’s too hard”, “I’m overwhelmed”, and “I can’t do it” are just signs of change and challenge. Do we shrink and accept that we can’t handle it, or do we pull up our bootstraps and move forward in the face of fear? Do we accept that we are good where we are, or do we push to create a better version of ourselves?
I have heard it said that variety is the spice of life. If that is the case, then being stagnant is perhaps the same bowl of plain oatmeal you have been eating every morning for the last 5 years.
Embrace the danger zone by taking on that next challenge. Take that flying lesson. Go somewhere you haven’t gone before. Dare to breathe deep and center yourself when facing something new.
You’ll never say hello to you
Until you get it on the red line overload
You’ll never know what you can do
Until you get it up as high as you can go.
-Kenny Loggins – Danger Zone
- What are some things you are facing that you are hesitant about?
- What is your first inclination when facing new challenges?
- Are your greatest obstacles created by others or by yourself?
Have a great week!
Chuck Ross
John Maxwell Certified Coach, Trainer, Speaker, and DISC consultant
Author: Change? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot!?
530-277-6161
“They themselves are makers of themselves.” James Allen
