Overcoming Fear: How Jumping Out of Airplanes Taught Me That Action Breeds Clarity

Crazy short blog post this week because this week I turn 40! But I wanted to take some time and share a funny story from my past, and maybe it can inspire and encourage your life. So many of us have experienced being held back by something we're scared of or don't fully understand. It can be a daunting feeling, keeping us up at night and preventing us from moving forward. But what if there was a simple solution that could remove the fear and uncertainty and give us the clarity we need to take action? 

Throughout my entire life, I have been terrified of heights. But one day, when I was 20 years old and in the Army, they decided it was time for me to jump out of airplanes. I tried every trick in the book to avoid it, but the Army had decided. Finally, after a few weeks of training at airborne school, the moment of truth had arrived. 

I knew that the only way to confront my fear was to be the first one to jump. So I hooked myself to the static line and made my way towards the ramp at the back of the plane. However, I froze once I got to the ramp's end. I remember feeling completely paralyzed by fear as I looked at the ground below. To make matters worse, there were about 70 other guys behind me, all of whom were moving toward the exit just as quickly as I was. And as luck would have it, their brakes didn't work as well as mine. 

Not expecting me to stop suddenly caused a chain reaction as if we were in a 70-car pileup on the interstate. The sudden weight of everyone behind me pushed me out of the plane, and I screamed like I never had before. But as I fell through the air, something amazing happened. I calmed down and realized I had more clarity than ever before. I knew exactly what I needed to do, and I could make decisions as if it were second nature. There was no time to be afraid anymore; I had to focus on the task at hand. 

This experience taught me an invaluable lesson that I continue to carry with me to this day: 

"Action Breeds Clarity."

By: S.J. Morris.             March 27, 2023

CEO

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