I keep asking myself: “Why do I want to go skydiving?” Is it because of the excitement of jumping, the rush or just plain stupidity? As I was reading my other chick’s post, I realized that my reason–even if it’s not a great reason–has to do with fear.
Don’t get me wrong; I do not get a rush out of being scared. But I just realized that skydiving is my biggest fear. I fear being that high. I fear that the parachute won’t open. I fear that I might die. And I feel that if I could conquer this then I would be able to accomplish anything that is put before me without having the fear that I will fail at it.
In my rational mind I know that skydiving will not take that fear away. It would help with the actual fear of being that high, and I might just enjoy it. But it won’t help me deal with the fear of failure.
So how do I deal with this little issue that I have?
I was just reading this wonderful post from Luann Udell about Dealing With Failure http://luannudell.wordpress.com/2011/01/21/dealing-with-failure/.
“Edison trying and discarding 423 different materials before he found one that could successfully be used as a filament in his electric light bulbs. Supposedly, he would say, “I didn’t fail—I found 423 things that didn’t work!” In reality, I doubt he was that chipper at trial #218. I’m sure he had some choice words.
But the important thing to remember is, it wasn’t failure. It was a process. He didn’t take each failure as a “sign” he should not continue. He took it as a challenge, an opportunity to explore new possibilities.”
So as I go out into this world, I know that YES, I will fail, but I also know that this is a process. Who knows what great things might come out of something that I work on and fail 100 times in?
P.S. I still want to go skydiving!
The Muse says...
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Vivi Barnes
4chicks.wordpress.com 
Recently, I read an interview with Martina Navratilova, the tennis star (I mean, goddess) and she was asked what the difference was between a champion and everyone else with some basic talent. She said, ‘the willingness to fail’. I love that! Because, if we’re not willing to fail – over and over again – that means we walk away. And, if we walk away, we deprive ourselves of the chance to become a champion.
PJ, I think I’ll use that as my new mantra. “I am willing to fail. I am willing to fail over and over again.”
Me too. It’s what makes me willing to write a sloppy copy instead of suffocating my fledgling work with my editor’s perfectionist eye. And what makes me willing to send yet another query letter.
Eva, I never imagined this is why you keep talking about jumping. I just thought you were crazy! What a great metaphor for the ultimate overcoming of fear. But I’m still not going with you, and you can’t make me. 🙂
Eva, I love the post, and I totally will go skydiving with you if you’d like! I have never been but it’s definitely on the list!!!!!