There comes a point in life where you are looking to move to a new space. For some it’s a new place to live. To others it may be a new occupation or some sort of new endeavor. However, there is a very real, very glaring obstacle in your way. The unknown. 

A lot of times we feel like we’re ready to make a change, yet we don’t have all the variables. This causes hesitation and sometimes de-escalation in the process of moving on. Fear of the unknown is natural as we often tend to fear what we don’t understand. The overbearing cloud known to us as the concept of the unknown has some key characteristics. To be unknown is to be undefined and unmeasurable. 

The fear of what might be or what may happen tends to keep us from taking the leap. I know I personally have struggled with this. As the fear of the unknown has brought much anxiety and doubt into my life. I feel a great sense of peace nowadays as I am learning to embrace the unknown for what it truly is. A blank canvas!

I have taken the time to work through these certain areas of my fear of the unknown. First, I get my footing. Then I take the leap. And finally, I stick the landing. 

Get your Footing

When faced with the prospect of moving from one space to another it pays to identify where you are and where you are looking to go. This is what I mean by getting your footing. Establish a foundation of resolve that is rooted in your understanding that you have outgrown where you are and that where you are trying to go yields new opportunities. 

Sometimes the only thing we need to combat fear is simply a shift in perspective. Fear preys on our doubts and insecurities. Often jumping to the worst possible scenario. While having caution is wise, it can also be counterproductive when it comes to moving forward. 

Take heed, yes, but understand the harsh reality of that which you fear can befall you at any point in your life. You can’t live in fear, however, you can walk by faith and trust that everything will be okay and that which needs to fall into place will fall. 

I do my best to be transparent as I feel like practical examples help people understand the concept. For my entire adult life, I have had one occupation. I have been doing it now for fifteen years and around year ten things changed. I began to feel like I was ready to move on to something else. Only problem was back then I didn’t know what that something else was. 

All my attempts to find an alternative solution came up short for one reason or another. You see I’m the type of person that has built his life around faith, yet it is still hard for me to leap when I can’t see where I’m going to land. So, because of that I stayed in my space secured yet unsatisfied. 

Over these last two years I’ve been able to finally make out my landing pad and I have since taken the leap. 

Take the Leap

Once you’ve secured your footing it’s time for you to take the leap. This means move. Take action, make changes, and take steps towards your goal. This part is hard for some but easy for others because it requires a certain level of effort and faith. 

Making moves even when you don’t see the way forward is crippling to some. Others are less fazed by this and are motivated by one factor or another. I want to encourage you to combat your fear of what might be with the potential of what could be. 

Turning a negative to a positive can make your fear of the unknown less intense. No, you may not know what is going to happen, but know that you have the ability to make it work in spite of. Taking the leap simply means you are actively working towards your goal. Whether that’s big dynamic changes or tiny subtle adjustments, progress is progress. 

After being worried about what might be I started to get an understanding of the potential of what could be. I started this blog and took the leap. Now my jump was short but purposeful. I started to move towards something new while still being able to maneuver back to my place of security. For me this was the dynamic that fit best with my life and outlook. 

I am still piecing together where I will end up however, I am no longer afraid as I am more excited of where this journey will take me. All that’s left now is to stick the landing. 

Stick the Landing

Getting your footing takes effort, taking the leap takes courage, and sticking the landing takes solidarity. When you have reached your goal or destination you now have to approach it with a sense of prosperity and purpose. For one to take the leap and stick the landing is not only an admirable achievement but also a great show of faith. 

Sticking the landing simply sees you carry the momentum from the leap and apply it to solidifying your new footing. As this place is where you will reside for the time being. That is until it’s time to move again at which point you would then repeat the process. 

Like frogs in a pond, we leap from one place to the next. All with the purpose of establishing some measure of security. Or in some cases proper alignment. Our journey through life is anything but linear and a lot of times we have to stick the landing in one place in order to be in position to get to a better place. 

As I took the leap into content creation, I did my best to stick the landing. Which basically saw me establish a new routine and then stick to it. I’m a little over a year into my new endeavor and I have quickly discovered that I had to stick the landing here as my positioning is lining up with something bigger. 

So far, I have found that I lean into the unknown as it lends itself to producing uniquely creative content tailored to helping not only myself but others in ways I didn’t know it could. Sticking the landing was pivotal for me as I will soon have to take the leap once again. 

In Closing

Just because you don’t see the way forward doesn’t always mean you shouldn’t jump at the chance for progress. Fear of the unknown is a powerful debilitating force that has stifled many a person’s progress in one way or another. I find it helps to get your footing which sees you establish a foundational understanding of where you are but also where you are trying to go. Then when it’s time…take the leap. This is you taking action and making tangible progress towards your goal. And finally, do your best to stick the landing as this will become your new foundation for the foreseeable future. They say we walk by faith and not by sight, do not let that which escapes your vision keep you from taking flight. Take the leap. You Got This!!!

Taking the Leap video:https://youtu.be/unyAqPTGPOk