Knowing the Ropes

There are many moments in life and some particular ones have a way of transforming our outlook on EVERYTHING.
When I was 21, my father introduced me to a seminar company called PSI (People Synergisticly Involved). After taking their introductory course, which was very eye opening, I decide to jump into their week long personal development camp called PSI 7 (Seven days long ;-).
We went to a cabin on a ranch somewhere in Northern California. We were doing several fun, challenging, and eye opening excursions every day. One particular has stuck with me.
One morning we were woken up extremely early, and told to meet outside in 15 minutes. With it still being dark out, I decided to throw on some warm clothes for the morning adventure.
We walk about 15 minutes from the cabin to the base of this mountain, at which point they blind folded each of us. The facilitator put a 2 inch rope in my hand and said "follow the rope."
For thirty minutes I fearfully take steps into the unknown of this mountain and move my hands along this rope. So many thoughts were shooting through my brain. ‘Why are we doing this?’ ‘What if I trip and hurt myself?’ ‘Where are we going?’ ‘How long will this take?’. Eventually, the person in front of me came to a stand still.
The facilitator walks up to me and asks, "Why did you stop?"
To which I replied, "The person in front of me stopped moving."
I will never forget what he said next. "When are you going to stop holding yourself back because of the people around you and in front of you? Follow the rope!"
I work my hands past the 3 people in front of me who were stopped, and I continue vigorously along the trail. After about 45 minutes to an hour, we make it to the top of this mountain, which overlooks this majestic wilderness of pine trees and the rising sun. "What a view!" I thought to myself.
Thoughts started to race through my head about what the facilitator had said. "When are you going to stop holding yourself back because of the people around you and in front of you?"
I felt a conflicted empowerment. My friends and family were all I had. I couldn't up and stop talking to them all together. BUT at the same time I felt this strong desire to do what they weren't doing. To bring a higher level of energy to my work and passions. To stop giving excuses. To truly be 100% responsible for my results. I felt invigorated to do anything.

There are 2 core messages that profoundly changed my life from this experience.
1) I do not need to leave the people around me to go where I want to go. I simply needed to GO. To get on the journey. Regardless of what they say. To be THEIR inspiration. To be the one THEY follow. I realized that I CAN BE A LEADER. Then I learned the second lesson...
2) I AM ALWAYS LEADING. The thought came to me as I passed the 3 people on that hike who were stuck on the rope. Why were they stopped? The 3rd would say, "because the one in front of me had stopped." To which the one in front her would say, "The one in front of me had stopped." To which the one in front would say, "Because I was scared."

"Who is being held back in my life because of who I'm choosing to be?" That's a question I often ask myself that and puts a queezy feeling in my stomach. It's my motivation to be great, to get better, to try new things, to lightly consider others opinions, to break through fears, to make unreasonable requests, to bring fire to my foot steps. The world starts and stops with me. If it is to be, it is up to me.

TAKE HOME:
Consider that...whether you like it or not...you are a leader too. Who you are choosing to be today has an impact on the people around you. Positively and negatively. KNOWING THAT...what do you want your impact on them to be?
And if that doesn't motivate you to grow...then maybe you need to read this blog again!