swimming toward the shark

health, fitness, mental · EN

As I was preparing to get my SCUBA certification, I asked my instructor what I should do if I saw a shark while diving. He told me that the best thing to do is to remain calm because sharks sense fear. Then he said IF a shark should become too curious and verge on aggression, the best thing to do as a diver is to – are you ready for this? – Swim. Toward. The Shark. That blew me away. What a powerful analogy for facing our fears. When fear gets too close, too curious, and tries to send us swimming for shore, the best thing we can do is look it in the eye, swim toward it, and watch it scurry into the deep. And that’s how “swimming toward the shark” was born. I chose to use the word “swimming” rather than “swim” because it’s not a one and done directive. Growth and evolution are ideals we must choose to pursue every day. They require a firm commitment to look fear in the face and keep it from getting too comfortable. To keep it in check so we ca