I'm Possible: Jumping into Fear and Discovering a Life of Purpose

by Jeremy Cowart

True love—the godly love of a spouse, family member, or friend—pushes back the lies and reminds you of the truth. It tells you you’re possible, that your ideas and dreams matter. And that’s why it’s important to surround yourself with the right people—people who love you, believe in you, and are willing to walk into your dreams with you. Without people like that, the lies of mediocrity or failure seem more resonant, louder. Without them, fear becomes crippling. Without them, dreams and possibilities are limited. But with them, all things are possible.

Unless we choose to accept that we need a mentor, that we have something to learn in the first place, those mentors, those lessons and layers, will find someone else. Without the humility it takes to listen to and follow the sages in our lives, we won’t grow into the work God has for us.

I’d never say no to a project or idea simply because I thought I couldn’t do it. I would dare to take on more complicated projects and bigger ideas because talent without audacity is a waste.

Write down your ideas. Follow your ideas. Push past the nerves, muster the guts, and put yourself out there. Don’t be afraid to be told no, and don’t let anything shut you down. After all, what’s the worst that can happen? And when you reap the rewards of those ideas, leverage, leverage, leverage them. Turn one opportunity into another. Push back the fear as you step into that opportunity too. Make your Sting moment. Find your Taylor Swift. Stay stupid and bold. Watch what happens. And never underestimate the power of the ask.

The conversations I shared with those who had fallen on hard times worked on me throughout the day. They reminded me that we’re all one bad break away from disadvantage, one economic downturn away from difficulty. As these men and women shared their stories with me, they taught me a lesson—that even in the most difficult circumstances, there is still room for joy.

Photo by photo, portrait by portrait, the stories rolled in, and as they did, our hearts softened. Our privilege, our blessing, our luck (whatever you want to call it) was exposed. And with that exposure came a great weight.

Possibilities hide in all of us, but so often we don’t carve out quiet places to let our minds wander into them. We fill our homes, our cars, our neighborhood walks, every quiet space with noise—music, video, social media, whatever. Because of that noise, that distraction, we end up missing the big ideas, the ones that might restore dignity or expose privilege or shift paradigms. We end up missing the ideas that could change us and make us better.

Do you allow yourself moments of quiet, space for your mind to wander? If you don’t, consider giving it a try, even if only for a few minutes a day. See what connections you make, what ideas come from those connections. Map out one of those ideas, even if it seems crazy. Follow it and see what happens.

I will not follow where the path may lead, but I will go where there is no path, and I will leave a trail. —MURIEL STRODE

Among the most important advice I give to my fellow creators and entrepreneurs is this: see the gaps, the holes, the missed opportunities, especially in times of need or crisis. Then do something about it. How do you identify the gaps and the holes? Often it’s through frustration. A story isn’t told the way you’d like. A product doesn’t have a feature you need. People are being treated less like people and more like objects. Frustration, frustration, frustration. If you listen to those frustrations, if you turn your creative energy to what might fix those frustrations, the possibilities you discover might surprise you.

But life is not a zero-sum game. Sharing with others—whether contacts, resources, or even the grace of forgiveness—allows beautiful things to happen. Monumental things. Things that have the power to change hearts, perspectives, minds, and lives. And in our current me-first, side-versus-side culture, collaboration is more important than ever. It requires more courage too—the courage to ask even when so many might say no. It requires the courage to say yes even if the potential collaborator might take your connections, ideas, and credit. Without the courage of collaboration, we might miss out on so many beautiful possibilities.

Creativity, art, ideas, and healing all come from the same source—from God Himself. And this is why people of faith need to look for opportunities to express their creativity, their artistry, even in places of fear and violence. In the process, the wounded world might find just what it needs.

no one ever created something truly spectacular, something audaciously purposeful, by giving in to fear and practicalities. Instead, the true visionaries are those who listen to the fear, examine the practical limitations, and let those things inform their plan of attack. Then, once the plan is formulated, they take the calculated leap. Those calculated leaps are what change the world.

One of the hardest lessons to learn in life is when to let something go, even if it’s a success by the world’s standards. What is success, anyhow? An idea might take shape, might make a name for you and open doors, might load you up with cash and accolades, awards, or honors. But if working with that idea doesn’t fill you up, if it doesn’t inspire you, if it doesn’t advance its original artistic vision, it might be time to let it go.

true failure is allowing fear to keep you from trying; fear is the enemy of possibility.