Our family’s Christmas present from my brother and sister-in-law included tickets to the Skydeck of the Willis (Sears) Tower in Chicago. In addition to the spectacular views from the 103rd floor, the main draw for this attraction is The Ledge, an all-glass box that jets out four feet from the building, allowing you to walk out into it for unobstructed views.
At first, I could not fathom stepping out onto 1.5″ of glass which was all that was preventing me from plummeting 1,353 feet down to Wacker Drive. OMG! However, I found that if I did not look down and instead just kept looking straight ahead, it really wasn’t that scary. The surface was at the same level, and it just involved walking a few extra steps that rewarded me with magnificent views.
Going out on The Ledge provides an apt metaphor to start the new year. We shouldn’t let fear hold us back from doing things, and instead, we should overcome it by taking one small step toward what scares us. In the end, the benefit is likely greater than the trepidation.
