The Tightrope Walker

by Cari Cole

 

Do you wonder how they do it? It looks so scary up there – one false step and…

That’s some kind of serious internal fortitude – not unlike being a musician in today’s terrain. I used to wonder about the tightrope walkers I saw at the circus as a kid – did their shoes have something sticky on the bottom? How the heck do you walk on a rope strung up hundreds of feet in the air – especially like this guy in the pic with no freakin’ net?

It takes guts to do what others wouldn’t dare.

It’s about being in the moment, handling your fear – pushing past it – pushing the limits of what you think you can do. And it’s about practice – a lot of it to get good at it – to get balance, becoming confident and develop an inner conviction – a knowing – that you can stare your fear down – and win. It’s an inner and outer game.

I know I’m not ever going to tightrope walk, or bungee jump or jump from an airplane – not into those kinds of adrenalin rushes… just not me.

But there is another adrenalin rush and inner/outer game I am into – the rush of being an artist and reaching thousands of people – and the inner/outer game of transcending fear and loosening it’s hold. I’ve learned something about that throughout my life, it started in my teen years — and that is — that when I face my fear (instead of running or caving in to it) – especially the neurotic fears in my head… something miraculous happens… when you stare it in the eye – it dissolves… melts down… like the witch in the Wizard of Oz.

What I’ve realized is this:

One – it’s never as scary as it is in your head. Never.

Two – there is a turning point…

And Three – on the other side is a strange kind of calm.. relief or exhilaration maybe.

But taking chances and facing fears is scary for most people and understandably so – it’s how we’re conditioned.

There’s a precious little nighttime story I heard from a New York taxi driver once — one of those awesome moments when a total stranger tells you something that sticks. The driver was Haitian and he told me a bedtime story that mothers in Haiti tell their children. The little child comes running into the parent’s bedroom after waking from a nightmare crying “Mommy, Mommy, a tiger was trying to eat me!” and the mother (unlike American mothers who say “Did you get away?”) says, “What did the tiger look like? How big were his teeth? Did you climb into his mouth?” Teaching their children to face their fear is a no-brainer to them. Why would they teach them to run?

In fact, we are so conditioned to run, that every time I offer up a new Program or opportunity for people to move forward, I notice how their fear comes up right away – all of the objections:

“I can’t afford it” – which almost always means: I don’t believe in myself enough to invest in myself – what if it doesn’t work out…

“It won’t work for me – I’m different than most people” (nuh uh – I design my Programs for artists – no two are the same)

And the biggest one – “What if I try and fail?” Afraid that you’ll crap out half way through – so why bother?

All the objections, judgments and considerations, while they are an important part of the decision making process, left unprocessed can keep you sitting right where you are and going nowhere fast.

I think of all the times I too, sat back, hoping and waiting for some unforeseen hand to swoop down and swipe away the obstacles – hoping I’d make the right contact that would make it happen for me – but it never did. Bad luck?

Nope.

Life – it’s not personal.

Life isn’t like the movies. It’s denser than that. It takes Energy (and a lot of it) to move through the muck and make things happen (ever notice that?) Yes, I believe in the Law of Attraction and The Secret – I’ve witnessed stuff like that – but not without watering the seed a LOT. That’s what I show you – how to water and nurture that freakin’ seed! The right ones!

If you want something to happen you’ve got to MAKE it happen. You’ve got to go get it.

The thing that makes me most SAD as a coach –

Is when people who have talent don’t take a chance on themselves. If they could only see what I see – they would never for a second stop trying.

I think the difference between those that DO and those that DON’T boils down to the ability to commit without the certainty of knowing what is going to happen.

To hang out in the uncertainty. To walk the tightrope.

We’re taught by the conditioning of our culture that big dreams like being a rockstar or doing music for a living are impractical.

You could end up in the gutter homeless and crazy…

No way!! That would never be you.

I always say this to my students to help them get clear:

“Imagine yourself at the end of your life – in your golden years reminiscing about your life. Would you like to look back and see that you were too scared to go after what you really wanted? Or do you know in your heart of hearts right now that you would never ever live with yourself if you didn’t give it everything you’ve got?“

What’s your conclusion?

The thing is — do you want to end up being someone who is afraid to take a chance or be remembered as someone who had the courage to try?

You see, that’s what I’m going to teach you – how to face your fear and walk through it with uncertainty (you can never be certain) enough to get to the other side.

And you will feel the fear – stare it down and .. watch it melt away… and like the tightrope walker .. walk confidently to the other side as if you’ve been doing it all your life.

And.. if you’ve been wanting to work with me there are two ways to do that this summer:

1) One-on-one: I have 2 spots open in my Ultimate Performer Programs (A rarity!) — but I’m warning you it’s only for you if you’re ready to work hard – and it’s not cheap!

2) Join my Step Up to the Spotlight Program before July 5th. The last launch of the year, includes 3 Group Live Q & A calls with me and the chance to make 2011 the year it all changed.

NOW . . . The early bird discount ended yesterday – BUT – since I do not want anyone to be left out – if you email support@caricole.com and you’re really serious about getting in now, we’ll email you a discount coupon – but act now, because the coupon will only be good until the end of the day on July 4th!