“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore”
Have you ever thought of those people who have discovered nations? Christopher Columbus, Vasco Da Gamma etc. The sheer thought of setting sail into an ocean that is far beyond their eyes, not knowing what the journey ahead holds, being unsure of the challenges that wait for them in the vast ocean, all in the hopes that they may discover something that may or may not be there, the mere thought of that is terrifying. To embark on a journey that leads you to the great unknown. But they chose to go, they chose to get on that vessel and travel and although most people didn’t make it to the end, but for the ones that made it, the journey was worth the risk.
As human beings, we are often afraid of things that threaten our survival, and our reaction is governed by an adrenaline response. Those butterflies in your stomach don’t often carry good tidings but once we are willing to think past it, there is greatness at the end of the tunnel. If curiosity pushes you to explore new things, fear pulls you back. When humans lived in the open, it seemed like anything and everything could hurt you. Fear kept us alive. Today, things are much different. We don’t need to worry about a lion jumping out and making a meal out of us. We don’t need to worry about such primitive things but unfortunately, that fear is now part of everyone, deep in our wiring.
Deep down, we all know life would be boring if we didn’t try new things. But that fear is always there. You might say, “Can I do this? What if I fail? What if I look silly?” It is natural to think about what can go wrong. This is only useful if it helps you plan. It is harmful if it stops you in your tracks. Unless we are willing to break out our comfort zones, we will not reach new grounds. Sure, its easy to worry and stay exactly where you are, choosing the easy way, but you are missing out on an adventure that your life is going to throw at you, you are missing on the people that are waiting for you on this journey, you bid adieu to the memories you make along the way and you say no to a life of thrill and wonder just, just because you were not willing to take that first step into the unknown and all that you are left with is regret and the could’ve been’s. Row Row Row your boat, gently down the streams, a life of adventure and wonder awaits you on the other shore.
Adventure in life always begins with the thought of impossibility!