One college summer, four of us planned a 3-week trip to Europe. We visited a bunch of countries, saw a ton of museums, drank a lot of beer, and did your typical touristy things.
We spent a couple of days in Interlaken (“Between Lakes”) Switzerland, which is one of the tourist destinations for some extreme sports like skydiving, paragliding, white water rafting, and canyoning.
Our group decided that we would go canyoning — traveling down a mountain through a canyon, by climbing, jumping, rappelling, and swimming.
It’s kind of like rafting down a mountain with your body.
From their website:
The best of the best, Chli Schliere takes canyoning to the ultimate level. This canyon has high rappels, big jumps, fast slides and is considered the best in the region. Chli Schliere is a physically demanding and technical canyon with a high adrenaline factor. It is suitable for confident, athletic people who want to be challenged.
Here’s the thing: I can’t really swim. I can’t now, and I couldn’t then. I wasn’t confident, nor athletic. Looking back, I’m not sure how I was even talked into considering it, let alone doing it!
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As we drove up the mountain, I felt sick. The reality of what I was about to do was becoming very, very real.
There wasn’t much preparation either — we had a couple of guides with us, who basically told us that we were to follow their direction, immediately, and without question.Â
When we stepped up to the edge of a 40-foot jump, we lined up single file and followed the instructions.
“Stand on my foot! OK, you see that calm area of water down there? You want to aim for that and stay close to the wall on your right. Don’t jump too far to the left, or you’ll hit the rocks below and break your legs. OK, ready? One, two, three, GO!”
…and I jumped.
It was pure adrenaline. It was exciting, and terrifying, and I threw up almost immediately after the first jump. But we kept moving forward, and I had complete trust in our guides.
There’s absolutely no way I would’ve done it without them. They knew how to get us to leap before we thought about it too much. Before we let fear take over and paralyze us.
Because once you’re in the canyon, the only way out is down.
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This is your last chance to jump. This is the final week of applications to join the final Unreal Collective Accelerator cohort of 2019.
How can you make this year different? What are you putting off, but can’t stop thinking about?
Whether it’s building up your client base, starting a new business, or launching a creative project like a blog or podcast, I will be your guide.
The program runs from Sept. 2 until Thanksgiving, and it will give you the push to accomplish the things you know you are capable of.
Don’t let yourself procrastinate any longer with thoughts like, “this isn’t the right time.” Opportunity trumps timing.Â
Stand on my foot. OK, ready? One, two, three, GO!
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