Too many things seem insurmountable when they are mountable!
Some words are fun to work with; crux is one of those terms – part crossroads in some matters, and for me, it is a memory of being less nimble than the younger me trying to get over an outcropping on the side of Heart Mountain, The Crux, I couldn’t get over.
Scrambling on rocks is fun if you aren’t scared. I was undoubtedly anxious, but I wasn’t scared that day because I felt confident in my footing and a trusted friend, Andre, was with me. I have not become a scrambler or climber, but I have never regretted the two times I’ve climbed a mountain with him. My comfort level is ‘hike’ on firm footing …
I wonder if – too many times – we hesitate to do the unfamiliar/scary thing because we don’t have a trusted guide beside us to encourage us or give us a boost of confidence words so we can get through the tricky middle parts, get over the crux of the thing.
I was re-watching a Dan Pink talk yesterday – and while he is promoting his new book, he is making some points that ring true – the instruction of regret, and leave any listener asking, “What am I waiting for?”
Regret is ordinary, and realizing how easy it is to cross the line from the regret or shame of inaction to not regretting is a crux we need to get over it and get over that self-talk that keeps us from stretching and growing.