The One Where I Flew Across the World for a Second Date…
When I was 26, I decided to take the biggest risk of my life. I went on a second date…
In Myanmar.
For YEARS I had avoided taking risks.
I didn't have the hard conversations (even though they were with people I really cared about).
I wouldn't ask for the raise (even though I knew I deserved more money).
I wouldn't start a new career - even though the one I was in wasn't fulfilling for me.
I was more scared of the unknown and uncertainty than I was of feeling unfulfilled.
All I could imagine was that I wouldn't get what I wanted. All I thought about was, “What if it doesn't work out?”
There was NO PART of my brain that asked “But what if it does WORK OUT???”
I knew that I was holding myself back.
But my fear was bigger than my desire to change.
Then I met a boy. We went on an amazing first date. Two days later, he left for a six month MBA program. In Asia.
We wrote to each other every day for 6 weeks. And then he asked me to come visit him.And I decide this was the moment.
If I was going to have the life I desired, it was time for me to start taking some risks…
Soooo… I flew half way across the world to see if I might be the main character in the rom-com of my dreams.
It was pretty much a total disaster. AND it was one of the best experiences of my life.
If you want to get it right, you have to be willing to risk getting it wrong.
If you're ready to take things to the next level but you find yourself paralyzed, it's time to take some risks.
When you're trying new things, there are no guarantees.
The only way to getting it right is being willing to put yourself out there, let it be messy, and f*ck it all up. I promise that whatever happens, you'll be closer to your vision of “right” than you would be if you sit there trying to figure it all out before you get started.
Goethe once said, “The dangers of life are infinite, and among them is safety.”
Stop being safe. Try. Fail. Learn. Try again. Keep doing that and I promise you'll get there.