If you have kids then you’ve probably seen Finding Nemo. If you’re like me you’ve seen it a few times. Oh, my kids will watch it on their own but they love it when I watch with them. My oldest daughter recites the movie line by line.
Last week we were traveling to Austin, TX for my nephew’s High School graduation. The kids wanted to watch a movie during the trip and they chose, of course, Finding Nemo. Well we didn’t have headphones with us so they just had to play it out loud so my wife and I heard the whole thing.
Now, of course, my wife and I couldn’t see the screen so we were having our own conversations while the kids watched the movie, but at one point we caught a scene. There is a scene in the movie where the two main characters, Dory and Marlin, are inside a whale. If you’ve seen the movie you know that Dory was enjoying the ride and Marlin was just waiting to be digested. Well eventually the whale tells them to let go of his tongue and Marlin refuses. Dory tells him that the whale is telling them that it’s time to let go. While Dory can’t convince Marlin to let go she eventually does (let go) and Marlin catches her and asks her; “How do you know something bad isn’t going to happen?” To which Dory replies, “I don’t!” (Watch the movie to find out what happens next.)
That scene really caught my attention that night. We were only listening and it really jumped out at me. Isn’t all of life really like that? How do you know something bad isn’t going to happen? The fact of the matter is, you don’t! Of course most of us only let this keep us from stepping out of our comfort zone. When it’s a normal, everyday thing, we just go about our business as usual.
Why don’t you start that business that you’ve been dreaming about? Because you might fail or go bankrupt? You might also succeed! The fact that you might be in a car accident on the way to the mall doesn’t keep you from going to the mall does it? I’m fairly certain that the possible outcome of a car accident is far worse than failing a new business venture. The possibility of death in starting a new business is pretty slim (in most cases).
I’m getting on a plane today and heading to Dallas. Right now I don’t know if I’m going to make it to Dallas, but I’m still going to get on the plane.
My point is this; let’s stop searching for the outcome before we decide to do something. (I’m speaking to me as much as anyone else.) Let’s decide what we want to do and then go for it. The outcome will be what it will be.