Dare To Dance The Tide

I love this photo, taken recently at beautiful Evergreen Lake. Beyond the obvious, there is a LOT going on in this photo. There's a man and his dog taking a nice leisurely paddle on a quiet little lake. But I can't get my dog to stand on the scale at the vet's office...these guys made at least 4 loops around the lake and that dog never moved. Mutual trust and faith.

You see a man, who's fit, completely confident and at ease with his physical abilities. Clearly this team has done this before. They're working well together (the man's working, the dog's cooperating) and each knows their proper place. The man is all business, but relaxed enough with his level of competence in the task at hand to enjoy the beauty of his surroundings. Preparation.

What you can't see and don't realize (unless you're familiar with Evergreen Lake), is that this team is dangerously close to the edge of the spillway. Now we're not talking Niagara Falls here, so it's not like they're going to any second get swept over the edge. But still, despite the serene nature of the setting they are skimming along the very edge of danger. Risk.

This picture embodies many of the elements at work in starting a business. Putting yourself or your product out their for the world to see involves a certain Risk. In order to sell your product or service, you obviously have to lay the groundwork through Preparation. Believing in yourself and your ability to be successful requires Faith.

As I sit here pondering my next steps with my own little business, this line from The River keeps coming to mind:

So don't you sit upon the shoreline
And say you're satisfied
Choose to chance the rapids
And dare to dance the tide.

- Garth Brooks, The River