Quote of the Week

“Personal growth lies within the unknown: courage permits you to explore this space.” Yogi teabag tag

Yes, I’m quoting a teabag this week. As a creative I take inspiration wherever I find it. And sometimes it comes from my morning cup of green tea. I would change one word in this quote–the word “permits.” I would use the word “enables” instead.

Our lives are made up of what we know and what we don’t know. The known only becomes known through experience. The known is our comfort place. We know what to expect in a particular situation and because we know what’s going to happen or not happen, we relax.

And as I wrote that last paragraph, I instantly disagreed with it because I can think of plenty of situations where we know what to expect and it sets us on edge, causes our fear response to kick in, or fills us with dread.

And that’s when the unknown becomes a viable option. Imagine a teenager, Sally. Sally’s home life has become unbearable. Bad things happen at home–the one place where she should feel safe, loved, and cared for–and she is powerless to stop the bad. She is miserable, living in a constant state of tension. There is no one she can turn to for help. What does she do?

If Sally has reached the point where life is unbearable, she gathers her courage and risks the unknown. She leaves home and takes on the responsibility for her own well-being with no guarantee that she will thrive.

Here’s a different example. John works in an office where he sits at his desk all day, every day, staring at a computer screen. He’s good at his job, makes a reasonably good living, and is miserable. He watches the clock, waiting for the end of his work day so he can get outside and putter in his gardens.

As a child, John’s best memories are of gardening with his grandfather. As a teen, John dreamed of owning a greenhouse, dreamed of growing herbs and flowers to sell. He loves the smell of moist dirt and fresh greenery, loves getting his hands dirty. That’s his happy place. Clearly he is in the wrong job, but he’s afraid to take the leap because success isn’t a given. He can’t find the courage to face the unknown because he’s afraid of failure.

In Sally’s example, she reached the end of her rope and took the leap into the unknown because it had to be better than what she faced at home. Will she survive? That will depend on her wits, her belief in herself, and luck. I am hopeful.

In John’s example, as much as he hates his job, it’s what he knows. It provides a reliable paycheck and he knows what to expect every day and can perform his duties without thinking. He feels secure. Empty, maybe even resentful, but secure.

Which of these people will live the fuller life? Which of these people will experience personal growth? Which will learn to deal with challenges and setbacks and end up with a story to tell? I know who I'd choose. What about you?