The Leap of Your Life

CHAPTER 5Know Yourself

Step out into your local city, and grab a person walking by on the street. Ask them about their life philosophy, the principles they live by, and how they integrate them into life. You’ll get some blank stares, odd looks, and, if you’re in New York, you’re bound to get a special treat. Sometimes that treat comes in the form of a middle finger.

Before you set out on the voyage of your leap, you’re going to have to know yourself. No, this isn’t the superficial ways you already identity yourself. I’m talking on a deep level; know who you are, what you stand for and what you believe in, otherwise, you won’t be able to build anything sustainable.

Knowing yourself sounds simple, but this is a journey few tackle. Often, people wait for a crisis moment to know themselves, because their identity has been stripped down and there’s nothing left. Whether due to a crippling divorce, a financial loss, the death of a loved one, or a health scare, these moments leave no option but to engage in the questioning of self.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Relying on a crisis to take the path of self-discovery is not a strategy. We can also choose to face ourselves head on. We can use our past as leverage toward making bigger and bolder decisions. Without this crucial piece, the demands and intensity of your leap are likely to take over and you may never make it back to shore.

Ignorance Isn’t Bliss; It’s Painful

They say ignorance is bliss, but in the case of knowing ...