Victoria Kornova dismounts from uneven bars. Vernon Bryant/Photographer

I found myself feeling that frisson of enlightenment and affirmation in reading the following excerpt from a book given to me by a friend … so i wanted to share it with all of you:

I once coached a gymnast I’ll call Jill.  She had worked hard on a new dismount from the uneven bars.  She had done it many times in the spotting belt, then with an assist from me. Now the time had come for her to do it alone. She was well prepared and ready; she knew it, and I knew it. She got up on the bar and was about to perform the dismount when she stopped. “I can’t do it, Coach; I’m afraid.”

“Oh, I see,” I responded. “Yes, I think I’d be feeling a lot of fear, too; after all, it’s the first time you’re doing it by yourself. Where do you feel the fear?”

“Well, in my stomach and in my muscles; the feel kind of weak.”

“So you feel afraid.”

“Yes.”

“Now that we’ve cleared that up, let’s see you do it.”

At first she looked confused. “But, Coach, I told you, I can’t – I’m afraid!”

“Whatever gave you the idea that fear was some kind of reason not to do something?”

“Well, I …”

“The only time you have a chance to show courage is when you’re afraid, Jill.” Then I added, ” It’s fine to feel afraid; it can be a healthy sign that you’re not ready for something. But in this case, you are. Fear is a wonderful servant, but a terrible master.  Feel it as much as you want, Jill; experience it completely. Then do the dismount.”

* an excerpt from “The Life You Were Born To Live”, by Dan Millman

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