Lesson to Self #8: Learn to be trustwilling

As I was in the middle of a weight training session I listened to a podcast named Wild Ideas Worth Living.  As Erik Weihenmayer was interviewed, it was impossible to be amazed at his feats: climbing Mt. Everest, reaching the peaks of the tallest mountain on each continent, paddling through the Grand Canyon, ice climbing—and so much more. But here’s the thing. Erik is blind. Not visually impaired but blind. Like he sees nothing. Nada. Just blackness.

Whoa! How in the world does he do this? He has developed echolocation strategies to help him leap across deep crevasses. His fingers and feet help him identify holds as he ascends rock faces. And he listens intently—and follows—the instructions and cues given by his companions. In fact, he said “Yeah, one of the weird, hidden gifts of blindness is that you have to trust people to get things done. I will tell you straight up, blind people, as far as I know, do not climb mountains, do not climb Everest or kayak the Grand Canyon alone. Maybe I’ll be proven wrong someday, but to get big things done, you need this wonderful team.”

I submit to you the truth of that statement, blind or not. My tendency is to do things myself because it’s often easier than depending on someone else. It’s hard for those of us who like to lead, who like to do, who like to accomplish to put our fate into the hands of another. So, we push on alone to face challenges and struggle through difficulties. And yet, we miss the beauty of camaraderie and striving together. Hence, the contributions, strengths, and growth of potential teammates becomes irrelevant because we shut them out in deference to our own need to check off another box for ourselves. This is a tragic, missed opportunity.

Granted, it is very difficult to transfer trust to another when our self-reliance supersedes our desire to facilitate collaboration and cooperation. And yet, how successful would we be without this community regardless of venue? There is a reason why the most successful athletic teams display healthy doses of trust and dependence on one another. The most efficient business endeavors are marked by teams that share and optimize talent for the good of the whole. And even in the whelm of faith, meeting together with fellow Believers for support and encouragement is prioritized.

So here is the question. How can I develop trustwillingness today? It might be as simple as extending that courtesy to my own family. What about you?
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See prior posts for Lessons 1-7

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