Inspired by Extreme Sports Athletes
I’ve been thinking about this idea of choosing between what’s in your heart (especially when risk is involved) and playing it safe.
Specifically, I’ve been thinking about it in terms of pursuing things that involve physical risk.
Years ago I remember hearing a speaker tell his personal story of nearly dying while trying to climb Mt. Everest. The lesson he left with was “it was selfish for me to pursue Everest knowing it could have left his family without him.”
As someone who would be the loved one witnessing the physical risk (vs being the adventurer), I agree with this sentiment.
But as someone who supports living out what’s been placed in our hearts, I also get letting someone live the unfolding of the life that’s been placed inside them (no matter how scary the thought of losing them is).
I watched a documentary on Netflix called The Alpinist about Marc Andre Leclerc, a solo climber who scaled mountains without a rope, who, though he accomplished much in the climbing world, (spoiler alert!) died in an avalanche on the way down from having accomplished a big feat.
As sad as it was for him to die in his mid-twenties by risking what most would consider unnecessary risks, he probably lived more in his short life than most of us live in lifetimes.
In terms of pushing his limits and following his heart, he lived a big, expansive life. But he also lost out on a lifetime of spending time with loved ones.
If someone draws the line on the side of risking their life over playing it safe, are they selfish or are we selfish for wanting them to play it safe?
I’m really not sure. If this person has kids, the inclination is to say they’re being selfish. But maybe them living out the life that’s been placed inside them is the best thing for their kids to know.
Solo climbing without a rope is a ridiculously high risk endeavor so let’s step it down to activities that include high risk of injury but not necessarily death (though it’s still a possibility as well as an injury that could permanently alter the remainder of their life).
Things like competing in the X-Games in vertical skateboarding, BMX bikes, freestyle motocross or competing in rough stock events in rodeo (Bareback Riding, Saddle Bronc Riding & Bull Riding).
These athletes have incredible skills and have worked hard to hone their respective crafts, as well as their mental determination, which play critical roles in keeping them safe, but things can happen that are completely outside of anything they could have prepared for.
I recently watched an interview with a bull rider (Laramie Mosley) who had broken his neck, and in determining if he should ride again or count his blessings that he made it through the injury, he chose to see that God had placed this dream of riding bulls at a high level in his heart versus seeing the injury as a sign he should quit. I could see an interpretation of the injury going either way, but as someone who is a proponent of following what’s been placed in your heart, I respect the determination required to continue (though I’m not sure why he chooses to not ride with a helmet!).
I also watched the documentary, Tony Hawk: Until The Wheels Fall Off, where the producer asked friends of his whether or not he should still be attempting the level of skateboarding tricks he does now that he’s 53 (and still has young kids). He had attempted a trick and landed on his head and though he had a helmet on, it flew off. He was knocked unconscious for a bit and then stood up disoriented, adding another concussion to the many he’s had in his skateboarding career. One person thought there should be an intervention on behalf of his safety and another thought it should be his own choice. I can see both sides. On one hand, I don’t think he should risk at the level he once did, especially since older bodies don’t recover as quickly, but on the other hand, it’s his passion and by continuing to pursue his passion, he’s living out part of his life’s purpose (something I don’t think should be removed from someone’s life).
I don’t have a personal relationship with anyone who is risking at these high levels, but I have the utmost respect for the loved ones who support the person in their life who is pursuing life at this level.
The closest I’ve come to this is seeing my brother ride motorcycles and skateboards when we were growing up and I have to say, I was a scaredy cat wanting him to be safe, lol.
Injuries are par for the course when it comes to these types of sports. It’s a matter of how debilitating the injury will be that’s typically at risk.
Saddle Bronc Rider, Rusty Wright, broke his leg in multiple places a few weeks back and it wasn’t the first time this has happened in his career. It isn’t a career ending injury but it’s still crazy to think this is what’s at risk and that’s it’s already happened multiple times (his income is also temporarily sidelined until he can win again).
Saddle Bronc Rider, Lucas Macza, dismounted from a bronc (he wasn’t bucked off) only to end up positioned at the receiving end of the horse’s hoof continuing to kick out. It shattered his jaw and knocked him out cold. This is somewhat of a freak accident but still crazy to consider it’s what’s at stake (his income is also temporarily sidelined until he can win again).
(And Saddle Bronc Riding is generally considered the safest of the rough stock events)!
People engaging in these types of sports know injuries are highly likely but I’m guessing they assume most injuries are something they can recover from.
These are typically young man (or woman) sports where a toll on the body will likely be paid for later in life.
This also means it’s a young man’s (or woman’s) career.
Most of us aren’t taught to do something that won’t last. We’re taught to look for things that have longevity and career security.
But if these athletes lived under this conditioning, they would have left all that was meant to be expressed through these pursuits inside of them.
So the question beyond whether or not these pursuits should be considered selfish is what are we leaving inside of us that they’ve fully chosen to express?
Most people aren’t suppressing high risk endeavors by not pursuing our dreams, yet we’re still suppressing the pursuit.
Aside from being amazing athletes and having a high tolerance for risk, their mentality sets them a part from the masses.
They believe in what they’re doing and how they’re choosing to live life to the total exclusion of how the average person lives, believes and thinks. And once they’ve chosen this mindset, they enter an environment where others have chosen similarly.
They’re not straddling between the bubble of the collective thinking (where most of us are) and the bubble that supports the life they desire to live. They’re 100% in the bubble that supports the choice they’ve made.
This removes them from the thinking that holds most of us back.
This is why it’s so important to choose a mindset that supports you in the choices you desire to make.
It insulates you in a bubble of thinking that normalizes the pursuit of your heart’s desires, especially when the pursuit and accompanying mentality look so different than the way the masses live.
I’m not necessarily advocating high risk physical endeavors; I’m not advocating against them either.
I’m advocating using people who have chosen these extreme pursuits to understand the elements of choice and mentality that are needed to pursue what’s in your own heart.
I’m advocating understanding what it takes to live so differently than the masses so you can free yourself from any constraints of mass thinking that may be holding you back from acting on your own heart’s desires.
And I’m offering food for thought when it comes to supporting or not supporting someone who desires to pursue high risk physical endeavors.
Hope you enjoyed this random dive into extreme sports!
Always Shine Brightly,
Shanna
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