You're standing there at the edge of the water, looking at the swell of the waves. All you can see clearly is the water's surface; there are some vague shapes underneath you can detect, but nothing is clear enough to make out. You put on your snorkel and mask, and dive under.

The instant you get your head underwater, you see a different universe. What appeared as a blur of movement from up above resolves into hundreds of multicolored fish, swimming and diving, feeding and playing. There's an entire world here that you would never know existed without diving into it head first.

It's like that when you set out on a new path for your life. Looking from the outside at a new career field, a new line of business, or a new avenue of learning, it seems vague and mysterious. But when you gather your courage and plunge in, suddenly it all starts to make sense. The scary part is taking the first step.

I've taken many first steps in my life -- moving to cities where I knew no one, changing careers seven or eight times (depending on how you count), starting several businesses, and becoming a personal coach when no one even knew what that was.

Each time, I notice the same transformative sequence. I think about making a change and feel scared. I start to gather information about the new direction I am considering, and notice the fear begin to lessen. Then I take a deep breath and take one small step toward my goal. But when I'm stepping off the edge of the pier into unknown waters, that first one can be a doozy!

All of a sudden, I'm on a different plane. Opportunities open up, contacts materialize, and connections occur. I'm no longer outside looking in. Instead of feeling like a fish out of water, I am a sea creature myself, swimming in an ocean of possibilities.

The trick is to dive in while I am still afraid. If I waited for the fear to be gone first, I would still be standing on the shore.

Labels: life purpose