I love taking risks. One might call me a risk-seeker, I have developed a ridiculously high tolerance for uncertainty and the unknown. I love it, this attitude has helped make me a stronger, more resilient person who is constantly practicing fortitude. I feel most comfortable when I get out of an airport in a foreign country where I don’t know anyone, the language or where I’m going to sleep that night. This necessity to figure it out and make things happen is exhilarating and enriching. Taking risks isn’t easy though and it’s never something that happens without fear or challenges.
I get this feeling of being scared, unsure, apprehension all the time. I’m on a continual learning path to recognizing this sentiment and acting mindfully. This means that I recognize the fear, I don’t try and push it away or suppress it, I embrace it with open arms and keep moving forward. Doing this has taught me to be hyper-aware of each step in this quest of life because I’m really paying attention and observing what’s going on and what I’m doing. As they say, the journey is greater than the destination.
For example, I took a leap and embarked on a canoe journey in the wild jungle down the Rio San Juan- no guide and zero prior canoeing experience. I knew it was going to be scary and difficult, but I also knew it was going to be awesome, maybe even one of those ‘once in a lifetime experiences’ and I believed I could do it. So, I didn’t let all that talk of crocodiles, sharks and rain scare me and kept hustling hard to convince someone to rent me a canoe. The positivity coupled with my fearless fear led me to a spectacular experience where I learned much more than I’ve ever learned in a classroom.
This is what the Leap Year Project is all about. The year-long project focused on connecting every-day people who are taking risks to change their worlds. Victor chronicled the project in a beautiful book full of inspiring and heartfelt stories from leapers around the world. If you’ve ever dreamed of doing something that makes a difference, taking a walk on the path less traveled or learning by doing, then do yourself a favor and check this book out. The proceeds will be used to launch a scholarship fund for the Experience Institute, a higher education program reinventing the classroom through real-world experiences.
What risk will you take?