Going Beyond

This past week I went to Knoxville, TN to see Needtobreathe and decided to go check out Gatlinburg and the Smokey Mountains while in town. After navigating the windy mountain road, I made it up towards the top and took a moment to appreciate the view. I couldn’t help but wonder about the early founders and explorers of this country. Not only the early settlers, but also those native to the land. What sense of adventure they all must have had to see a mountain and decide to transverse over it. To go little farther. Climb a little higher. To explore the unseen. That sense of risk and adventure must have been a critical characteristic back then and likely, to some extent, rings true today. Some of our most successful historical icons, inventors, disrupters, athletes, and performers questioned the current state of affairs and challenged themselves to go beyond. I suspect that many of us have reached where we are today by pushing a little more, going a little further, climbing a little higher. Perhaps not by giant leaps, but by taking small steps. However, I also recognize that there might also be many of us who have reached the level of growth that they want and that is where they will stay. That is fine, as long as it is not the fear of unknown or doubt in one’s self that is getting in the way of going for more. Fear is inevitable. I am certain the early settlers felt fear exploring into uncharted territory, not knowing what was around the next bend or other side of the mountain. Doubt is also inevitable. Everyone experiences doubt, even the greats, but they act despite it. Take a moment and look out. Where do you want to go? Is it beyond? Good…now go.