Swim toward the shark: Preparing for challenges in business (and life)

“We're gonna need a bigger boat.”

As a little girl, I stumbled upon the movie Jaws on cable TV, and had a nightmare later that evening (of course).  For years afterwards, I had occasional shark-attack nightmares.

Cameron Whiting had shark-attack nightmares, too. 

An avid ocean-swimmer in California, he'd been having them regularly for a couple of months.

-But he had just joined a swimming-club in his new town, and didn't want to let his nightmares keep him from enjoying the ocean with his new friends.

Cameron didn't expect that his nightmare would come true –only this time, for one of his new buddies.

In June, while body-surfing towards the shore after a long swim, he & his friend Kevin heard a blood-curdling scream.

“Shark!!”

Their friend Caleb was being attacked far behind them. They could see blood in the water.

Cameron & Kevin had mere seconds to decide what to do. 

Both had first-responder training. They knew that the scene was likely unsafe, and it would be smarter to stay on shore until the attack was over before attempting to help.

They swam toward the shark attack anyway. 

By the time they reached their friend, the shark had left (Even with deep injuries, Caleb had managed to punch it twice. Take that, shark!).

They swam Caleb to safety, and he survived.

Now, I'm not advocating that you frolic in shark-infested waters or practice your left hook on dangerous animals.

But there will be plenty of times in life, and business, that you may have to decide whether to “swim towards the shark.”  

Certainly, business will bring up plenty of opportunities to leave your comfort zone— whether reaching out to network with someone you feel intimidated by, presenting your first (or 10th) workshop, or posting a video about your services.

–And in light of the veritable sharknado that was the election +  our recent hurricane/flooding here in Asheville, it's certainly on my mind that life will also present plenty of times to decide who we want to be in the difficult moments.

Caleb & Cameron made the right decision, not just because they were good, brave people, but because their First-Responder training reflected a commitment ahead of time to be doers & helpers. 

(And by definition, a “responder” avoids being reactive: they stay calm and respond instead).

As I often tell my clients, success isn't just about checking off your list of goals: it's imagining who you want to be in your business/life, and stepping into being that person.

In this moment in time, I'm feeling particularly convicted that you have a purpose, and your business is one channel for you to serve that bigger purpose.

In light of that, I hope you'll take some time to decide who you want to be, both in the little ways and the big ways, as you serve that purpose.

One step? Consider deciding now that you'll be someone who swims toward the “sharks”, facing discomfort & fear head-on, rather than being reactive. 

It's a great habit to develop, and you may just realize that the shark you're swimming towards isn't as scary as you imagined.

(Especially if you surround yourself with supportive friends and the odd shark-puncher).

What's something you're avoiding or nervous about (in business or life) that you can lean into and face head on? 

Or if there isn't anything right now: can you decide now who you want to be in a future moment of challenge?

Let me know what comes up for you. I'd love to hear more (and I read every comment).