Craving a Catalyst
Standing above the waterfall, staring down into the fresh, bubbling water more than 30 feet below made my heart race and dance. I wanted to feel the thrill of falling and the sense of refreshing accomplishment when I plunged into the cool water. Then I began to doubt and think of the possible consequences of jumping into this natural pool of unknown depths in the middle of Ecuador. Just then someone from the water below shouted up, “C’mon, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity!” and a voice next to me chimed in, “How many times can you say you jumped into a waterfall in Ecuador? You will never forget it!” Indeed, I never will forget the exhilarating rush of cliff jumping with a bunch of other thrill seekers in South America.
Many times in life we are faced with the decision of whether or not to take the plunge, so to speak. We stand there frozen as we contemplate the pros and cons, the risks and benefits, analyzing the possible outcomes. In this moment of indecision, we crave a catalyst. Whether we are thinking about changing careers, ending a relationship, having a child or booking a trip to Thailand, we often seek something or someone to assure us we are making the best decision. We want someone from the other side to shout, “C’mon, just do it!” or even give us the push we need to take the risk and jump.
Life is brimming with challenges and decisions. There are several drawbacks of passively waiting for a catalyst: a) There might not be anyone available to tell us what we need to hear at any particular moment. b) We may unintentionally sabotage ourselves, our jobs, our relationships, etc. in hopes that a decision will be made by default or by someone else. c) We miss an opportunity to experience the exhilarating moment when we initiate that first step into the unknown.
How can we become our own catalyst? Ultimately, it is our responsibility to take the risk and create the change we seek in our life. Of course, this is not always easy. Where does our resistance or hesitation come from? Is it fear of failure or fear of success? Do we have expectations or judgements about the “right” decision?
Though we may want to understand what is holding us back, if we get mired down by self-analysis, it could just be procrastination incognito. By its very definition, a catalyst accelerates change, acting as an agent to make things happen. It is up to us to mobilize our resources and to act boldly and decisively to make things happen for ourselves. Confidence is key to becoming our own catalyst. This doesn’t necessarily mean we are certain of our success, but rather we trust that no matter the outcome, we will discover the capacity to respond with resilience.
When standing on the edge, whether that means a making a difficult life decision or jumping into the unknown, we hold the potential to be our own the catalyst, to develop a sense of agency and to cultivate the voice within us that whispers, “Don’t miss this opportunity!”