Dragons Be There

Dragons Be There

Dragons are here.

On old maps, when the known world sort of ran out, there were markings, "Dragons be there."  In other words, the unknown was inherently scary and implied danger.  The same applies to our comfort zones...but...when we go past the boundaries and stare over the abyss, we often see that it is less unknown and likely less scary than we thought in our head.  Our brains have a way of telling a story that can grow out of proportion.  We've struggled or toyed with the idea of picking up and moving to a new part of the country...sight unseen, so to speak.  We've created the potential downsides of Godzilla along the way..."we'd never replace the salary we have here," "it'd take years to make new friends," etc.  In other words, "dragons be there" when we look at that part of the map.  And those dragons keep us from falling off the edge.  

And here.  

Sure, in that example, some of those dragons are real.  We could get ourselves into a regret pickle by making the jump.  We could also shine a little light in the dark places by researching, visiting, traveling, and poking holes in the pieces that scare us.  We could, in large part, minimize the parts of the map where our dragons live.  That doesn't mean we should just blow up a comfortable life...just because we can.  Societies and civilizations were built on the backs of curious dreamers and brave explorers who dared to go where the dragons were on the map.  The balance of "back office support" and "leading edge innovation" is what helped us as humans conquer our domains.  To do great things takes both, and we should seek to fill parts of our lives (and souls) with both.  

A sure sign of dragons in the area.

If you live a life where you allow yourself to fall into the monotony of "I get up, I go to work, I go to bed, I repeat," life gets pretty dour.  If instead, you inject novelty and adventure into your lives, life is pretty great.  The six inches between your ears to make the commitment that "we'll go camping this weekend" as a louder voice than, "I've got a ton to do around the house, and putting camping stuff away sucks" is critical.  There are plenty of wild things and wild spaces surrounding us that can be reached and immersed all around us.  The secret is, they're often just outside of our comfort zone.  Depending on who you are, the "dragons be there" for you may be going out to that ethnic restaurant and trying something new, attending the festival in the next town over, hiking a mountain, doing a road trip, etc.  Our dragons don't match...it's just important that you go face yours.  

Another sure sign...
launching a rock over
your dad and brother's
heads.

Across the space of our lives, we often get into a comfortable rut.  At work, the idea of moving to consulting, switching professions, opening a business, buying a rental property, or anything else is likely an unknown...to you.  Chances are, through exploration, research, mentorship, and seeking out learning, there are folks who have successfully done what you're attempting to do.  As you're staring down your dragons, find a person a few years ahead of you on that path and ask them which bends have the dragons...and how they got past them.  Before becoming a parent, the path was wrought with dragons - what if I put the diaper on the wrong end, what if I don't read to them enough...or too much...what if...  Turns out, for centuries, people have been able to figure those things out...and so will you too.

Dragons are 
all around.

I'm writing this, this week, from a road trip in Alaska.  Driving through a relatively small part of a giant state (turns out there's just not very many roads up here), one thing is apparent...dragons that have been unseen by human eyes probably could be hiding out among the trees, mountains, and glaciers.  This place is huge and wild.  It's also a reminder that there are wild, huge places still around...and that God, as the Creator, is powerful and mighty.  Too much time surrounded by cement and steel and glass can dull our senses and make us forget that there are dragons bigger and more powerful than Lance or Phillis down the row of cubicles at work.    Travelling is a wonderful way to remind ourselves that, yes...there are still dragons...and yes...that's still a good thing.  

They're right
around the 
bend in the 
trail.

As we close this week, remember that often, the dragons that are off the edge of our comfort zone map are there, but they're manageable.  They're less scary than we often originally make them out to be, and we can conquer them.  It's also important to remember that part of life is seeking out, finding, and facing dragons.  Our forefathers braved the literal peril to conquer new lands, explore new professions, pioneer new journeys...and now we're a comfortable lot.  Don't let those wild genes somewhere deep down within you lose the flickering flame of your own dragon.  Go out there, into the wild places, stretch your comfort zone, and make new memories.  If you're fortunate enough to have grandkids someday, the stories they'll want to hear about didn't involve a water cooler or cubicle or Taco Tuesday at work.  Make wise decisions...that make great stories.  Good luck!

With you in the arena, from ours to yours...Happy Trails!

Call to Action: 

• Pick out a scary dragon to mitigate this week through research or conversation...and a wild dragon that you'll take steps to get closer to.  
• 1 - ___________________ 
• 2 - ___________________
• 3 - ___________________
• Discussion: Consider what you/your family could/would/should (level of commitment) and start/stop/sustain (action) in terms of exploring the wild places.  

Further Reading, Motivation, and References:

- Nat Geo Here Be Dragons