The Greatest of Ease

It's easy these days to feel like a complete failure much of the time, especially in Seattle. Seems everyone in this city has several degrees or is currently obtaining a Masters, PhD or Doctorate Degree. I just got back from an industry conference where most attendees had a multitude of letters following their name. I didn't even have a business card to exchange. I applied for grad school and was accepted, but haven't drummed up the money or serious ambition and drive to actually enroll after taking my pre-requisite course in January. I am almost a CPCU having completed 8 out of 10 courses, but not there yet. One man the keynote speaker at our conference referred to in his opening speech had 22 educational designations after his name. I turned to the woman next to me and whispered, "that guy must never go on vacation".

It never ceases to amaze me how driven and successful some people are. Seems at any given moment I might be watching Oprah or a similar program and there is some over achiever promoting his most recent book, the author some neurosurgeon who has five beautiful over achieving children, has founded a successful non-profit organization, travels to Africa regularly to save the starving and sick, and in his spare time enjoys spending time at his ranch outside Santa Fe. WTF? How does one do all of that? I can't even manage to go my meaningless office job, get to yoga and do my laundry all on the same day, much less actually achieve some greatness. I realize these individuals are more rare than not, and their stories should be inspiring and motivating. Instead, I tend to walk away feeling like a bit of a loser. I quit my corporate gig to go travel the world and seek my dreams and ended up right back where I started. There is a real success story the world is dying to read.

I think small achievements are the way to go. Rather than reach for the stars, maybe I ought to just reach for, say, a tall tree branch and see how that goes first? A couple of weeks ago, my cousin from Colorado was visiting me and I dragged her to an introductory trapeze class. While she was moderately worried about this chosen activity (mine, not hers), she was a good sport and went along with it. Keeping her calm and excited about trying this, distracted from any anxiety I may have felt.

Frankly, I was pretty sure due to my lack of upper arm strength and athletic ability, I'd be spending my time in the net below. The instructors spent adequate time coaching us prior to our first attempt at hanging from the trapeze bar from our knees. Our knees? How the heck is that suppose to happen? After showing us on a static bar, I figured I was doomed. My cousin's comment to me was "this is no way to treat your house guests!"

We each took a turn climbing up to the platform one by one as our classmates watched and rooted from below. Just climbing the wobbly ladder to the top and stepping onto a rather narrow platform was nerve racking, even though I was clipped to a safety belt. Once on top, our coach harnessed me in, I reached out and grabbed the heavy steel trapeze bar, he gave the commands as we practiced on the floor, "ready, hep!" and that was my cue to hop off the platform into the air with the 'greatest of ease'. On the command of Coach Katie below, I was to tuck my knees over the bar and let go letting my arms drop over my head, swing back and forth and then re-grab the bar, untuck my knees, and with straight legs kick 1, 2, 3, then tuck knees and do a backwards flip onto the net like a backwards cannonball. If all that sounds complicated, it was. At least at first. It took me three tries to actually do all that and on the fourth try I mastered it in the very short time frame we needed to accomplish all those moves in order to graduate to do a "catch". The catch involves doing the knee hang maneuver and then rather than re-grabbing the bar, Coach Dave hanging from the opposite trapeze grabs my wrists (and I'd better grab his) and we swing together as I let my knees release from the trapeze. What a ride! What a rush! I was amazed at how it felt. I was even more amazed that I could even successfully accomplish such a feat. At least it was a feat in my mind. Certainly, the others could achieve this too. This was, afterall, a beginner 'trick'. Even so, I was proud of my minor accomplishment.

I guess in the future when I'm feeling defeated by my failed attempts in life, and I see Dr. So and So spouting off all his achievements and do gooder deeds, I can ask the question, "Yeah, but can you do a Catch on a trapeze?"