You Only Learn to Swim by Jumping in the Water!
Hello!
Quick question, do you remember your first swimming lesson? That terrifying moment when the instructor told you to get in the water, and you were like, Um, no thanks, I’m good on the floor. But eventually, you took the dive. Maybe you struggled around like a panicked fish, or maybe you somehow floated on your first try. Either way, that’s how it started.
And honestly? That’s how everything starts.
The fear of drowning
Swimming is such a perfect metaphor for life. Before we jump in, there’s this fear that, What if I can’t do it? What if I fail? What if I drown?
I had a similar experience recently, not with water, but with life in general. There was this new opportunity staring me in the face. It was exciting but also terrifying because I didn’t feel ready. I kept telling myself, I’ll wait until I’m 100% prepared.
But here’s the thing, we’re never going to feel completely ready. There’s no perfect time, no secret formula. The only way to figure things out is to dive in and start figuring it out.
Sinking vs. Swimming
When we jump into something new, there are two possible outcomes:
We swim, maybe not gracefully, but we keep ourselves afloat.
We sink, but we learn how not to sink next time.
Either way, we’re learning. And every time we jump in, it gets a little easier. We start to trust ourselves more and realize that sinking isn’t the end of the world, it’s part of the process.
When I finally said yes to that opportunity, I didn’t magically nail it on day one. I made mistakes. A lot of them. But those mistakes taught me more than any amount of preparation ever could.
Why we hold back
We tell ourselves stories to avoid jumping in,
I’m not skilled enough.
What if people judge me?
What if I fail?
But we didn’t wait until we were ready to walk as babies? Nope! We stumbled, fell on our face, cried a bit, and got back up. Somewhere along the way, we forget that falling is just part of learning.
Conclusion
Whatever it is you’re hesitating on, starting a project, learning a new skill, saying yes to an opportunity, just jump. You don’t need to know everything before you start. The water will teach you.
Life’s biggest lessons don’t come from standing on the edge, analyzing the water. They come from the splash, the struggle, and eventually, the swim.
So, what’s the water you need to jump into? Let me know, I’d love to hear what’s holding you back or what you’re diving into this week.
Until then, take the leap. You’ve got this.
Love, Stupid Students!
Youtube Recommendation
Here’s a beautiful video by @Gawx2
See you soon!