Taking that leap of faith…

Growth in any capacity requires a leap of faith, whether that be in life, relationships, work, or sport. This is because growth points us towards the unknown. Growth leads to places we have never been before and frankly speaking that can be scary.There is comfort in familiarity. There is comfort in knowing the outcome. However, the desire to grow acknowledges that in you somewhere there is a belief that you can do more and be more. This may be an idea or vision of who you want to be or where you want to go.

John C Maxwell once stated growth demands a temporary surrender of security. It may mean giving up familiar but limiting patterns, safe but unrewarding work, values no longer believed in, and relationships that have lost their meaning.

One important thing to recognize about growth, is that sometimes the change and growth you’re hoping for is not the change and growth that occurs and that’s OKAY! You can never be certain that things will go the exact way you want them to. In fact, I can guarantee that at some point they won’t. What fun would it be anyway if things just always went the way you expected it? If you didn’t have doubts and uncertainties then it wouldn’t require a leap of faith would it?

Remember that change brings about an opportunity to recognize that misgivings and setbacks are a part of the process of growth. In order to continue to push through setbacks we have to be willing to take that leap of faith again- and again- and again. Many people are familiar with Michael Jordan’s story of not making his high school basketball team. This was a pivotal moment in his career and his ability to put his head down, work harder and try again. Often the worst thing we can damage is our pride and pride needs to be put in back in it’s place every now and again.

My father instilled in me from a young age that when dealing with change, when trying something new, the worst thing that could happen, is that there is no change! Worst case, you go right back to where you’re at. My father would always say, “The answer is always no if you never ask the question.” He used it as a reminder that the benefits of change, growth and improvement most often outweigh the negative.

If you find yourself on the edge, wanting to take that leap towards growth but can’t seem to really make the jump, try using what I call best case/worst case. As a mental performance coach this has helped me to make many big decision in my own life.

Here are a couple of examples of how:

You want to start working out again but you’re intimidated to start because you know it will be hard and you’re worried about what others will think.

Best case- You start feeling like yourself again. You are able to move more, you have more energy and you feel healthier. You gain confidence in yourself and your ability to take on challenges.

Worst case- Someone might say something that hurts your feelings at the gym.

From here, talk yourself through it. Does the possibility that someone might say something about you outweigh all the benefits of working out again. There is no right answer only your answer.

Your parents want you to work with a Sport Psych but you’re nervous because you don’t know what it will be like.

Best case- You find tactics that greatly improve your mental toughness and see improvements on your ability to perform in the game.

Worst case- You don’t like it, don’t think it works and you stop going.

Your coach asks you to play a new position

Best case: Your coach loves you there, you get more playing time because others in that position can’t compete with you. You learn more about your previous position from seeing the game through a different angle and you end up loving your sport even more than you previously did.

Worst case: You play bad and he moves you back to your original position.

There is a new job position that you want to apply for but you don’t meet all the qualifications.

Best Case: You get the job, you got a raise and now you are able to learn new skills that push your limits and widen your skill base.

Worst case: They say no and you are still doing the same job.

Not all situations will not be this simple but our minds are meant to preserve us, to keep us safe. Sometimes it will jump to worst case scenarios and try to keep you there even when the benefits of growth far outweigh the negative. Challenge yourself, challenge your thoughts.

Whenever you find fear creeping into your mind remember that fear is the enemy of growth. Growth happens outside your comfort zone so when you feel fear remember that growth is most likely creeping right around the corner. It sometimes takes a leap of faith to get you to the next level.

Justine Jones, Mental Performance Coach

RJ Performance Group