Last night I did something that, until about 5 days ago, I never for a second thought I would do. I stood on stage in front of 70 people, and did a stand up comedy routine.
It was the first time I had ever done anything like this, and it was up there with the most exhilarating and terrifying 5 minutes of my life.
When you think of the word adventure, I imagine images of mountains, tents, bears, and open oceans come to mind.
And sure, these are expressions of adventure.
But when I think of adventure. I think of a guy standing on a small stage in a bar in whistler, way out of his comfort zone.
I think of an entrepreneur, with no roadmap for sharing her vision.
I think of a couple deciding to no longer play out their inherited behaviour patterns of jealousy, secrets and lashing out, embarking on a journey towards deep, intimate love.
I think of a man, tired of ‘should’s and other peoples agendas and fitting in, deciding to discover his true masculinity.
Adventure, truly, is an inward journey.
A journey home.
A journey back to your core.
It’s uncomfortable. Challenging. Sometimes painful and scary.
Adventure is a departure from the known. The comfortable routine of the status quo. The slow, painful death of mediocrity.
It is a journey of self discovery.
Climbing mountains and sailing oceans are incredible tools for the adventurer on a quest for their true essence.
But so are relationships. Spiritual practice. Acting. Business.
As a man, myself on a never ending journey of becoming myself, challenge is where I thrive.
I love diving in the deep end, and giving something a go.
Performing last night, and watching this video, I have deepened my understanding of myself and how I show up in the world.
Was I scared? Yes.
Was I uncomfortable? Yes.
Did I walk on stage and almost immediately forget everything I had to say? Absolutely.
I panicked in that moment. As you can probably tell in the video. And you can also hear the prompt from Kelsey behind the camera that saved my ass!
And I recovered.
I didn’t die. People even laughed. I had FUN.
Holy fuck is that a rush.
And now as I write this I am a changed man. I have grown. I have evolved.
Some of the ways I have grown are obvious. I have feedback about how to improve my act. I now know the feeling of standing on stage with 70 people looking at me expecting and hoping I will make them laugh.
Some I might never know. I might never know how that experience will impact the way I show up in business negotiations. Maybe I’ll have more confidence or a bigger presence.
I might never know how it will impact the way I show up in relationship. Maybe I’ll be more grounded in who I am. More purposeful and directed in my thoughts and actions. More open to receive. More able to give freely.
The same can be said for any adventure into the unknown, whether your vessel is a kayak, a keynote, or consciousness itself.
Growth and change can ONLY happen when you set sail from the comfort of the marina.
It may be safe there, but it’s not what your boat was built for.
And if you’re not growing and changing, you will never be truly, deeply fulfilled.
Do something that scares you today. And tomorrow. And the next day.
Watch your life change.