But what if you don’t?
“But what if I did….”
And I fail?
Or people don’t like it?
Or I can’t pay the bills?
Or it hurts?
Or I look like a fool?
Most people don’t pursue their passion because of something that happened, but something that could happen that hasn’t happened yet.
There is this old story about how, when Jesus invited his disciple, Peter, to get out of his boat and walk on water towards Jesus. According to this story, after a couple of steps on the water, Peter “saw the wind” and began to sink.
He saw the wind?
Have you ever seen the wind?
I haven’t.
I feel the wind. I sometimes hear the wind. But I have yet to ever see the wind.
It wasn’t what he saw that caused him to sink, it was what he didn’t see but could feel that caused his faith to waver and his body to sink.
It’s the same for us.
It’s when we feel the wind of
fear
insecurity
anxiety
or the unknown
that causes our faith to waver and our hope to sink.
So how do you move forward with that thing that is burning a hole in your soul but also causes the wind to rage inside of you?
Maybe the way forward starts with a better question.
What if, instead of asking, what if I did? Followed by all the risks and what-ifs, you ask a slightly different question that leads to a much different posture.
What if you started asking:
What if I don’t?
What if I don’t take the risk and pursue that passion? Would my future self be full of regret?
What if I don’t quit the job that I hate? Would I be settling for making a living instead of making a life?
What if I don’t forgive that person who wronged me? Would I be allowing that person free rent in my head instead of being free?
What if I don’t move beyond the opinions of others? Am I okay becoming the product of someone else’s intentions instead of living an intentional life?
So instead of obsessing about what if I did?
What if you asked, what if I don’t?
Personal change only happens when the what-ifs of staying the same are more painful than the what-ifs of change.
The reward of a full life doesn’t come without risk.
But playing it safe is always riskier.
What if you don’t?
