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Lesson 3: When in Doubt, Go for It!

  • Bowtieguy
  • Jun 27, 2017
  • 5 min read

This lesson is closely tied to the previous one. When implemented, it will give you the opportunity to experience once-in-a-lifetime activities, and possibly even change your life. Broadly applied, this rule dictates that when you encounter a situation in which you are scared to try something, perhaps a new food or activity, you should just do it (provided, of course, that there is no significant safety issue). Following this rule is going to take some courage, but the long-term payoff will be well worth it. I can promise you that.

I discovered this lesson on my US Road Trip; it was reinforced on my European Train Trip. The following example is one of many that revealed the validity of this rule and how it changed me. During my US Road Trip, one of my professors—I’ll call him Paul—invited me to his summer house in Ohio. Paul is a big roller coaster enthusiast. I was not. He suggested we go to Cedar Point, an amusement park famous for its many intense roller coasters. Plus, he was offering to pay for my ticket ... a free day at an amusement park! What could be better?

I wanted to accept Paul's offer, but what would I do while he waited in long lines to ride the roller coasters that I had no interest in? An amusement park is not half as fun alone. So, regrettably, I declined his offer. After spending a couple of days with Paul, I was ready to move on with my trip. Long story short, I had a dilemma that led me to return to his house a couple of days later. While waiting for the problem to be resolved, I was politely pestered about going to Cedar Point once again.

That was when I began to think about why I was saying no. When I was a little boy, I decided that I was afraid of roller coasters and that I did not like the stomach-dropping sensation I felt on them. But I thought to myself. That was 10 years ago. Things change over time, just like when I was 14 years old, and my taste buds changed. As a kid, my diet consisted of only chicken tenders and fries. When I turned 14, I decided to try new foods because I had heard that your taste buds change every seven years. Upon doing so, I acquired a diverse pallet and a whole new set of menu options. Using the same logic, I thought about how I might feel about roller coasters today compared to 10 years ago.

Cedar Point Amusement Park Ohio

I asked myself, "What is the worst thing that is likely actually to happen?" I could not come up with a good answer. If I got on a roller coaster and did not like the experience, then I would confirm that I still do not like roller coasters. I could have potentially gotten sick. That's about it. You might argue that the ride could malfunction and I could be hurt or even killed, but what is the likelihood of something like that happening? Driving a car and having an accident is far more likely. If you do not believe me, look up the comparative safety risks of flying versus driving a car. Your outlook on safety and modes of transportation will change drastically.

This is when I realized, for lack of a better term, I was being a coward. There was nothing legitimately holding me back, so I took a leap of faith and said yes. Long story short, I ended up riding eight roller coasters that day! I discovered I loved the ones that twisted and turned, taking you upside-down and all around. While I still do not like roller coasters with massive drops, I had a great experience that would have never been possible if I had said no to such a generous offer from my professor, and now friend.

Although I did not say this before, I have been invited several times in the past 10 years to go to amusement parks, but have always said no because of my fear of roller coasters. I missed all those years of fun just because I was too scared to try it again. I was too afraid to try something that, in reality, only could have had dire consequences, and is in fact highly unlikely.

Trying new foods is also a good example of “When in Doubt, Go for It!” When I was in Europe for Christmas, there were Christmas markets in almost every city. They would all have unique foods representative of their culture. I was not sure what many of them were because I did not speak the language, but I was intrigued.

After seeing a plethora of foods, both familiar and mysterious, I decided to do the following: I physically wrote down a promise to myself that I would try at least one new local food that looked good and one that did not. It served as a challenge, as well as an opportunity to be exposed to the culture and opportunities around me. Some things were great, others not so much, but I lived through it all. I also met nice people and gained a couple of new foods in my diet.

I still can’t tell you what some of the foods were, but I now know by sight the new foods that were delicious! The point here is that there was no legitimate reason for me not to try these foods, some of which turned out to be fabulous. When you step outside your comfort zone, you are exposed to new things that could change your life in both small and large ways.

Another adventure that I like to share is about how I wanted to go to Mexico. My dad did not approve. He, along with many others, repeatedly advised me not to go. He thought it would be extremely dangerous and unwise. I argued with him and myself, and I eventually took a day trip across the border anyways. The trip was interesting, but it was not worth it. I got to briefly see what it was like to live in a less developed country, I had fun trying to read the Spanish signs, but there were not many activities to do. It was an eye-opening experience for sure, but nothing compared to my next experience.

Later in the trip, I went to Austin, Texas. By chance, I arrived in the city the morning after a shooting, and I left right before a second shooting. No one had advised me against going to Austin, but at that point, I felt like Austin was more dangerous than Mexico, even though I know in my mind that logically that is not true. What I want you to take away from this story is that before you go anywhere, you should educate yourself. The news is often time full of bias and puts things to an extreme. Everywhere you go the potential to be prone to drug cartel violence, vigilantism, police and government corruption/ineptitude, etc. So instead of making assumptions or accepting what others have to say without formulating you own opinions, do your research and make an educated decision. If you live in constant fear, you will miss out on countless unimaginable opportunities.

Note: In case you were wondering what the problem was that made me return to Paul’s house, it was the fact that the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio was introducing a new exhibit of Air Force One planes, but not until the end of the week. I wanted to stick around to see it since I was not coming back


 
 
 

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