‘The Resistance’, I love when people insert the word ‘the’ in front of resistance.
I like breaking arrows. With my throat. I like to see other people break arrows with their throat.
Now, I first got to try this when I was training to become a fire walking instructor, and I actually wasn’t thinking (at first) ‘this is impossible’ because I knew it could be done, I’d witnessed others in the group: snap snap snappity snap.
Rejoice. Clap. Clap. Clap. (cue winning punch)
The time came for me to get up there, in front of my peers
Wow, what a thought rush was had.
In the space of 10 seconds my brain screamed: ‘don’t do this, risky, this is risky, it’s going to hurt, what if you’re the first person the arrow doesn’t break for, oh you’ll be fine, don’t make a fool of yourself, get up there, others are watching you better do it, what if it goes through your eye, what if you can’t do this, you’ll look a right fool, just do it, don’t, relax, your so nervous…on and on’.
Quietly asking my brain to butt out, up I continued.
So there I was, with the sharp end of the arrow on the soft supply part of my throat, the other end against a wall, all I had to do was take a step forward.
One step. One slight movement. Just enough to encourage the shaft to bend, then snap.
That was it.
One push.
And in that ‘moment’ is where most get stuck.
Not just in breaking arrows, but all through life.
That point when the task, activity, goal, idea, whatever it is, requires a final push. When you need to deliver.
That point where a little pain is felt. It’s uncomfortable, not life threatening, but still not pleasant.
That point where there are moments of doubt and ‘can I actually do this, oh wait, hold on, let me stop and think’.
That point where the easiest option is to take a step back and say ‘oh I can’t, maybe next time‘.
Or even worse, getting stopped. Not being able to move forwards or back. There you are stuck with pain and you’re choosing to do nothing about it.
But, you’re going to have to let go at some point, yes? Either by choosing to release yourself from the pain or by going through it.
Courage is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.
One day, you may decide to take part in this activity. And I can’t even express in words how you’ll feel, because it’s not really about breaking arrows, but smashing through resistance.
Where do you need to take one small step forward today? What requires a final push?
Do it. Or release it.
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