Living safe and secure is the enemy of finishing well. When we live safe and secure, we avoid risk – all kinds of risk. We avoid failing. We avoid looking awkward and foolish. So we don’t try new things. We stick to our “regular programmed” schedule and our to-do list because we know we can do those things without failing.
To finish well means we finish without regrets, and if we play life safe, we’ll regret that we didn’t risk enough. If we are to finish this life well, we need to do the opposite of living safe. We need to take some risk. We need to try new things and fail. We need to take a stand, and make our splash in the world.
The trouble is that there is a part of us that is clinging to the safe and the secure. This is the part that doesn’t want to be noticed or needs to appear a certain way to other people. So while we’ve got our foot on the gas pedal, running to finish well, there is the other part of us that has the other foot on the brakes, wanting to stay safe.
Both Rena and I are always working on this crazy duality. This is why we have coaches and mentors in our lives. On our own, we would be “running through molasses,” and it would take way too long. To be honest, without external support, we would probably still be writing our book, and still be thinking about how great it would be to have services in place to help other people move forward. How ironic would that be? We’d be wanting to help others move forward while we’re standing still.
I have two questions for you to ponder:
* Are you working to finish well?
* Do you have the right kinds of support to help you succeed at that?
