This will be the last in this run of quotes.
This quote I heard quite some time ago and it has always stuck with me. I am going to paraphrase it as the original wording always seemed a little clunky to me.
Too many people tip-toe through life, to arrive safely at death ~ Tony Campolo
This one is pretty straight forward.
Life is short and it’s not worth playing it safe, at least not all the time.
I am not advocating reckless risk-taking, but instead, conscious risk taking.
I’m thinking about those moments when you face a decision to do something outside of your comfort zone or not. For it is within those moments, and choosing to do something outside of your comfort zone, where growth happens.
Not doing it or choosing the “I feel much more comfortable with this” option is what Mr. Campolo is referring to as “tip-toeing through life”.
Yes, it is true, that if you do something new and different, you might fail, or your might get hurt (probably emotionally more than physically), but what most people don’t understand is – that’s growth too!
If you risk doing something new and fail at it, well guess what, that just means you weren’t subject to beginners luck. It is something new after all, chances are your first time through will be tough and you may not do as well as someone who has done it many times. But you don’t get to be someone who has done it many times without having done it at least once, and probably having failed a few times.
The easiest example is in relationships.
Standing there (whether you are 15, 35 or 50) and looking at that person you are fond of and debating whether or not you should approach them. Wondering what they’ll say, if they’ll say “no”. Thinking about how much it will sting if they do say “no”, and deciding it’s just not worth it.
Honestly if they say no right off the bat, that’s probably the easiest thing to handle. It might sting a bit, but since you’ve only invested a little time in them so far, chances are the pain will fade pretty quickly.
The real hurt tends to come when they say yes initially, then somewhere down the line they say no. Most of us have been through a “break-up” of some sort, and we know how it can feel.
The problem is, you won’t know if they are the one, if you don’t ask, if you don’t get to know them and have them get to know you. You must risk that pain in order to find the pleasure of meeting your soul-mate and having a deep and fulfilling relationship.
There are so many other situations where asking that question, where going outside your comfort zone can reap such great rewards. You just have to be willing to risk a little pain.
If you ask your boss for a raise and she says no – well you’re no worse off than you were, but if she says yes … well, she never will if you don’t ask.
Until next time keep laughing – and not tip-toeing through life.