Don’t Chicken Out

All of us at one time or another have heard the saying,” Don’t Chicken Out”! The origins of this saying are vague, but we all have our own versions of where and when someone said this to us. When you think back to your youth, this saying was used frequently on the playground. Usually one young kid goaded another to jump off one of the school roofs, climb a pole, or eject out of a high flying swing.

In our teenage years, the saying ,”Don’t Chicken Out”, usually was involved in drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes or weed. Sometimes it was used when a young teenage male was having trouble mustering up the courage, to approach the best looking girl in school.

As adults, fewer and fewer people prod us to not “Chicken out”. However ,perhaps we need more people(including the one looking back at you in the mirror) to say, ”Don’t Chicken Out” Perhaps that person is your spouse, mentor, best friend, business partner, or family member. The circumstances that we may,” Chicken Out” are varied. There could be a lack of commitment in a marriage, hobby or faith. I have found the most common area where people “Chicken Out”, is in their professional life. People for years have lamented over their current profession and weigh that struggle over what they really want to do. Instead of pursuing those long coveted aspirations, they go safe! Citing stability, a good retirement and benefits, the person stays safe. Fast forward to age Fifty and the person thinks they are too old to really step out of their comfort zone. They always wanted to own their own business, or pursue other paths. They had dozens of great ideas and business plans collecting dust.. As a result at age fifty, they are sitting on the proverbial, ”bar stool”, telling anyone who would listen what they could have been. Why didn’t these dreams become realized? “Don’t Chicken Out”! The world needs dreamers, innovators and creative soles who cannot only change the world, but their lives and the lives of their families.