7LEAP INTO THE DARK to Embrace the Possibility of Success
“What we want we must create; what we risk will be regained.”1
– Trial, “Unrestrained”
YES, I QUOTED my own band for a second time. It is my book. Shush.
Creativity is terrifying. Connection is terrifying. And oddly enough, success is terrifying. Leaping into the dark is about taking a courageous step forward, not even toward a specific goal necessarily, but instead to deny stagnation when we otherwise have the impulse or the inspiration to get somewhere. If there is a goal, then this chapter puts us in motion.
Success can be intimidating. Sometimes we have impostor syndrome and think that others will see through our façade if we succeed. In this instance we question our intellect, our skill set, or our accomplishments.2 Apprehension to engage with something that might put us in the limelight would be worrisome to anyone feeling like they might be seen as an impostor. But even that aside, it is often intimidating to imagine being looked at or critiqued at all. As a result, it is easy to make the choice to not stand out.
At other times, we simply fear change. What if we have to work harder as a result of advancement or success? What if our friends, colleagues, or family judge us for that advancement? This has been researched as a cultural phenomenon as well: What if the achievement or promotion we seek leads us to be ostracized or alienated by our community?3
If we want something more, we need to take steps toward that ...
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