Take a leap of faith into the unknown

What?

What is holding you back from making that next major step in life? Is it the fear of failure or just a fear of the unknown of the future? Chapter one of Manifesto for a moral revolution by Jacqueline Novogratz describes purpose in our lives and how we can utilize found purpose to start something that we may not know what comes next. To take that leap of faith into the unknown to build a new extension of yourself is one of bravery but also of necessity if you are to become a more well-rounded individual and leader. Gandhi once said that "the future depends on what we do in the present", so if we focus on the present the future becomes more attainable.

So What?

Novogratz says that "When we look back on our lives, we construct sense-making narratives of who we are and how we’ve chosen to spend our time. But when we look forward, the path ahead can feel overwhelmingly elusive." (Novogratz, 2020) This means we are always worried about the future but when the future eventually becomes the past and the present it becomes more clear and less of a risk to our life. She continues by saying that purpose does not reveal itself to those sitting safely at the starting block. That means you must be willing to venture out into the unknown. In an article by Brittany Loggins, she states that when we are fearful of finding our purpose that we tend to be unable to think clearly and have an increased risk of anxiety and depression. But the more we practice something, the more we tend to become better at it, so if you practice being uncomfortable you are making the uncomfortable, more comfortable. In a Harvard Business Review by Carol Dweck, it describes those that are less worried about the future have a higher growth mindset as well as a higher ability to develop their talents and skills (Dweck, 2016). When we are searching for our purpose we will encounter many new experiences and ideas that we may not be familiar with but that does not mean that is not our purpose. You can always change your mindset to what you want to accomplish or what you are looking for. People with growth mindsets are able to learn and understand this and figure out through trial and error if something is their purpose rather than just assuming something is or is not their purpose.

                                         

Now What?

No one can predict how the future will go but if you play the game of life safely then you will never know the heights of accomplishments and skills you can reach. As a leader if you are not willing to learn or challenge yourself to find your purpose, how can you lead others to do the same thing? Even if you fail as a leader it is important to understand and learn from those failures, so that you may not repeat them. A quote by Novogratz simplifies this by saying "Try. Fail. Then try again. Follow the thread as it unspools. Just start." This reading and reflection assured me not to be afraid to take risks, but also to make sure to take risks as it can allow me to grow, and if not I try again.


References 

Dweck, C. (2022, December 12). What having a "growth mindset" actually means. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://hbr.org/2016/01/what-having-a-growth-mindset-actually-means

Loggins, B. (2022, July 29). What to do if you find yourself living in fear of the future. Verywell Mind. Retrieved February 26, 2023, from https://www.verywellmind.com/living-in-fear-of-the-future-what-to-do-5204385

Novogratz, J. (2020). Manifesto for a moral revolution: Ideas you can use to change the world. Holt & Company, Henry.



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