Let’s be honest… have you ever really taken a leap of faith in your life?
Or have you mostly taken semi-calculated, risk-measured hops in a direction that allowed for some cushion in case you fell?
I’ll be the first to admit that I have never really taken a big leap of faith, allowing the unknowns to bear the weight of my decision. I’m a very logical, rational person who only takes calculated risks.
Oftentimes, we can get caught up in thinking that we have to take big leaps of faith in life in order to make our life ‘worth it.’
But what if taking baby steps towards our leaps of faith provided for a more fulfilling life?
Reframing Our Thought Process
Taking a leap of faith in life, to whatever degree, can seem intimidating.
If you desire to move to another state, start a writing career, or transfer colleges, the leap to do so always seems wider than the Amazon River.
The fears of the unknown slip in, suffocating any hope of success we had.
The mentality of ‘taking a leap of faith’ itself often prevents us from doing so. It seems to be something reserved only for people who are naturally spontaneous, adventurous, and risk-takers.
But baby steps? Those are something anyone can take- even a baby!!
Jokes aside, taking baby steps allows us logical, risk-measured, most-comfortable-in-the-knowns type of people to take leaps of faith. Really, it allows anyone who is hesitant to take their leap of faith.
Taking Baby Steps
Whereas taking a leap of faith is usually futuristic, something happening when the timing is better (newsflash: it never will be), taking baby steps in the direction of your leap of faith can start TODAY.
It may seem ‘too late’ to take a leap of faith, but it’s never too late to take small, productive, and intentional steps in the direction that we want to go.
Focusing on building the day-in-day-out habits allows us to build confidence in ourselves for when the time comes to take the leap of faith.
It also allows us to build the skills needed to be successful when taking the leap of faith.
The value in taking a leap of faith lies in the everyday habits we build in working towards it. The value lies not in the jump itself but in the steps taken before we make the jump.
I don’t know about you, but thinking about taking a leap of faith and all the unknowns, along with it, paralyzes me. The feeling of unpreparedness and the lack of confidence I have in myself to be successful prevent me from ever making these jumps.
But if we’re able to focus on the baby steps that are achievable, the leaps of faith we want to take seem more attainable.
What It Looks Like to Take Baby Steps
So, what does it look like to take baby steps in the direction of your leap of faith?
Identify what your leap of faith is. Write it out in detail; envision it.
Understand when you want to take your leap of faith
Brainstorm 2-3 things you can implement TODAY to work towards taking your leap of faith
Start taking those baby steps
Let’s say, for example, that you want to start that non-profit idea you’ve had since college.
I want to start my non-profit, benefitting inner-city school aged kids. I want it to change the way these children wake up every day and think about going to school. I want it to have a lasting impact on them, beyond their primary and secondary schooling. I want to start with Ridge Wood High School.
I want to start my after-school non-profit in exactly one year.
I can start today by speaking to the school counselor and principal and sharing my ideas with them. I can also start raising money and learning how a 501(c) organization operates. Finally, I can start building a brand for my non-profit.
Suddenly, when you have reframed your mind to focus on taking baby steps, something as intimidating as starting a non-profit has been boiled down to realistic and intentional actions you can start taking today.
Baby Steps Lead to More Leaps of Faith
Taking a leap of faith literally implies that there is going to have to be faith involved. You will likely never be able to fully prepare yourself and account for every unknown.
But taking baby steps in the direction of your leap of faith can help build your confidence when it comes time to jump. It can help to make the thought of taking a leap of faith less overwhelming.
This tactic, when used properly, can encourage you to take more leaps of faith in your lifetime. It can help you to build strong, long-standing habits and confidence in yourself along the way.
Taking baby steps reminds you that it’s never too late to take a leap of faith.
So what are you waiting for? Everyone has that one thing in the back of their minds that seems like a huge leap of faith for us to take.
What if we all agreed right now to take baby steps towards our leap of faith? As a community, can we encourage each other to take our leaps of faith by starting with a baby step today?
It’s totally manageable. Totally do-able. The stay at home mom who is busy managing five individual schedules can start listening to a podcast on starting a non-profit. The busy grad student who works every day after class can watch a YouTube video about the country they want to move to after they graduate. The Senior Vice President of a company can take her lunch break and use it to write every day.
The goal is a leap of faith. The baby steps are endless possibilities and routes to successfully prepare you for when it comes time to jump.
Your leap of faith is achievable. You can do this!