by Tommy Baker
Chapter 15 Leap Power Step
On a scale of 1–5 (5 being highest), how supportive is your current tribe for your leap?
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If less than a 5, what is one relationship that is no longer serving who you’re becoming?
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Where does your tribe hang out? Where are they, and where can you find them now?
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Note
1 https://observer.com/2016/07/this-is-how-you-train-your-brain-to-get-what-you-really-want-2/
CHAPTER 16
Your Declaration
What a ride. We’ve taken an adventure together, and you’re one of the few who has come all the way to the end. We’ve explored the unknown, we’ve wrestled with how to know you’re ready, the shapes and sizes of leaps available to you, and how to use this energy wisely for every area of your growth.
And yet, we’re not done, because now it’s time to cement your experience and set off to sail. Carrying your core ingredients and toolkit, you’ll set off on a voyage of a lifetime: full of thrill, zest, and the most beautiful elixir in the world of a live well lived.
On your terms. On your timeline. On your deepest desires.
Your leap is waiting for you, and it’s knocking at your door. And as we come to the end of our experience, it’s time to take the first step and declare the leap of your life.
Otherwise, it will slowly eat away at you moment by moment. Everything we covered will become a fantasy, your fantasy, another video game and could-have-been.
But the world will miss out, and so will you.
The Time Is Now
“Where are you? Here
What time is it? Now
What are you? This moment.”
—Way of the Peaceful Warrior, by Dan Millman
No more waiting.
No more hoping.
No more wishing.
Just like we started off, you came here because there’s a leap in your life that’s been calling you. Maybe when we started you didn’t know exactly what it was, and now you do. Maybe you knew all along. Likely, you found yourself with a little of both, and now you have clarity. Regardless, the time is now—right here, right now.
Millions of dreams have been lost waiting for the perfect time. You know, the seductive voice in our heads that says:
Once life slows down a little.
When the kids get a few years older.
After you get the bonus from work.
And yet, what we don’t realize is that each moment we stay in the same place, we get a little more anchored than yesterday.
This anchor holds us in place, but also becomes a weight to bear every single day. We wear this weight in our glare, in our eyes, and with a voice of painful regret. But we can also slice through it all in one instance by making a bold declaration of commitment with our leap and never looking back.
Within that place is a life you can’t quite yet imagine.
June 11, 2018,San Sebastian, Spain, 10:09 a.m.
I wake up, and I can feel the last toast of Spanish cava and one too many tapas from the evening prior. And yet, it doesn’t matter, because I’m next to my soulmate in my favorite city in the world. I feel alive. We look at each other, and without saying a word, tears start coming down our faces.
This is the moment we’ve dreamed of, the one I felt but couldn’t see back on that frigid New York evening years ago. Taking a moment to soak it in, I realize: I did it. I didn’t know how, and yet I still was willing to take the step into the unknown. The leap has changed me forever, and nothing will ever be the same.
Every area of my life is radically different. Most importantly, the person I am is changed, and he now believes. He believes in himself. That he is worthy and capable. This is what he’s been looking for.
The tears are flowing because this is a moment of culmination: a dream has come true, and whatever was dreamed up on that New York night now pales in comparison to reality. The leap of my life has happened, followed up by micro leaps to create a life I truly can’t wait to wake up for.
I share this to help you understand this is available to you, too. Whatever your personal version is, it’s ready. It’s waiting. But remember: it won’t wait forever, and doors will close.
The haunting truth is that moment may easily not exist. It could have easily stayed a dream on that 13-degree night. A glimpse of hope. A moment of clarity. A powerful download.
And then nothing, fading into the oblivion.
Over the past four years, I’ve taken more leaps than I ever have, and I’ve never felt so inspired and alive. But enough about me, I’ve been able to facilitate countless leaps for people who knew it was time. And while creating a dream life is powerful enough, it pales in comparison to see others give themselves permission to do the same. There is no greater fulfillment than hearing the stories of those who did it.
During this time, I’ve witnessed countless leaps firsthand, including:
The burned-out corporate executive who launched his own business, tripled his personal income, and never looked back.
The mother of three who took her passion and was able to create a six-figure income working from home.
The entrepreneur who was stuck in revenue making the key hire to exponentially grow his or her business.
The millennial who felt stuck in her environment and moved across the country to find her people.
The 37-year-old who’d never completed a physical challenge reaching the summit of Mt. Rainier.
The overworked and disconnected entrepreneur who found peace and clarity during an intense spiritual quest.
The family of four who ditched the traditional route and rented the RV to travel around the country for three years.
The list goes on and on, but you get the point. And although I identified the leap, I don’t expand on the endless benefits the leap provided them. The lives shifted. The relationships enriched. The people around them who were inspired to do the same.
And knowing they were destined to get to the end of their days with nothing but a smile, knowing they did what they had to do when it was time.
A life without regrets, wishes unfulfilled, and songs unsung.
Your Declaration
Toward the end of writing this, I was hiking one of my favorite mountains in Phoenix with my friend Seth, and he asked me a simple question:
“Why are you writing this book, and why now?” As a podcaster and coach, I appreciate a great question. And of course, I’ve asked this very same question countless times of myself. You don’t write 250-plus pages by chance. You don’t endure a creative process simply because it’s cool or fun. There’s a deep rooted why, or else you simply don’t finish. Much like anything else, we only endure when we have a reason that matters to us.
And what I said was simple: I can’t not write it. Because I know there is at least one person out there who need
s to get their hands on this. They need to hear this message and give themselves permission.
Or else they may live their entire lives doing everything except the one thing they know they must. This is the book I wish I could have leaned on during the moments of doubt before, during, and after my leaps.
But unlike most books, the primary mission of this one was to be different. I didn’t write this to be another book that sits on your shelf. I didn’t want you to get inspired about your leap and then get lost in the noise of life. I didn’t want this to simply motivate you, because there’s a lot more effective YouTube content out there to get you riled up.
I wanted to challenge you, because I respect you. I know there’s greatness inside of you, and the path to unleashing it on the world is through your leap. And now that we’re on the tail end of our journey, it’s time.
Much like Felix Baumgartner’s moments between detaching from the space capsule he took to the edge of Earth’s atmosphere and the moment he leaped, this is the time where the magic happens. It’s the riveting in-between where every part of you comes alive.
As Felix disconnected his attachments, he realized this was it.
There is no turning back. There is no Plan B. There is no safe harbor.
The Leap of Your Life
This book doesn’t end with a finely tuned, perfectly edited conclusion giving you a tightly wrapped summary of what we’ve been through.
Instead, it ends with a commitment. To this point, I’ve done most of the talking; now, it’s your turn. This is your launch pad, and there is nothing else you need for your journey. Your bags are packed, and there’s only one thing left to do.
There’s no chance you would have made it through if you didn’t have something deep within you that needed to come out. Honor it, acknowledge it, embrace it. And then light it on fire.
It’s your time.
Below, you’re going to identify The Leap of Your Life. I’ve shared stories, examples, research, and countless themes and patterns of interviewing the world’s best, my own experience, #NotesFromTheLeap, and more. All of these were done with one mission, and one mission only: to help you dig deep and extract your leap, so you could get to this place: your declaration.
This is the moment you place your chips in the middle of the table and go all in. Declaring your leap is putting yourself on the line. It’s having the audacity to trust in yourself and choose yourself.
Here’s exactly what’s going to happen next:
The Leap of Your Life Declaration
To download your own Leap of Your Life Declaration form, head over to LeapOfYourLife.com.
You’re going to identify The Leap of Your Life. The leap of my life is:
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You’re going to declare The Leap of Your Life. This is how I will declare my leap:
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You’re going to go on social media and declare the leap you’re committed to—using the hashtag #LeapOfMyLife. This is where I shared my declaration:
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Then, you’re going to pay it forward and encourage someone you know to take the leap of their life and push them to do so. This is who I’m encouraging to take the leap:
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The Pen Is Full of Ink, Now Go Write Your Story
What you just wrote and declared is your magic. Own it and feel it like you’ve never felt anything before. Our time is coming to an end, but you’re only getting started. With the leap of your life in your hand, you’ve stepped into your commitment with a bold declaration. Now, you’ve got a full set of ink with your blank canvas, and it’s time to write your story one day, one page, and one sentence at a time.
The world is waiting for you. Your tribe is waiting for you. Strangers whose lives you will impact are waiting for you. Your closest relationships are waiting for you. But most importantly, guess who won’t be waiting for you anymore?
You won’t.
This shift alone will make the leap of your life the greatest story ever told, and I can’t wait to read it.
Carry on, now. I’ll see you on the other side.
Chapter 16 Key Takeaways
“Someday” is no longer an option. It’s time to say goodbye to this mindset and make your someday … right now. Trade in all of your somedays for today.
It’s time to declare your leap. There is no more waiting and it’s up to you to write the inspiring story of your life.
Go write your story. Your leap will become an inspiring story unlike any other. Honor this, double down and never, ever look back. It’s your time.
Resources
General Resources
The Leap of Your Life: official resources, downloads, and free guides to help you maximize your leap. http://www.leapofyourlife.com
Resist Average Academy Podcast: immersive conversations with the world’s most sought after thought leaders, experts and entrepreneurs. iTunes, Stitcher, Spotify, Google Play, and where podcasts are found. http://www.resistaverageacademy.com
Chapter 1
John Tierney, “24 Miles, 4 Minutes and 834 M.P.H., All in One Jump,” New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/15/us/felix-baumgartner-skydiving.html
Lisa Nichols, Motivating the Masses. https://www.motivatingthemasses.com/
Lisa Nichols, Inside Quest Interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VS5FqBZWpYo
Chapter 2
Susan Jeffers, Fear the Feel and Do It Anyway. http://www. susanjeffers.com/home/detailtemplate.cfm?catID=2234
Elizabeth Gilbert, TED 2009: Your Elusive Creative Genius. https://www.ted.com/talks/elizabeth_gilbert_on_genius?language=en
David Foster Wallace, Infinite Jest. https://www.amazon.com/ Infinite-Jest-David-Foster-Wallace/dp/0316066524
Chapter 3
“TIFU My Whole Life. My Regrets as a 46-Year-Old, and Advice to Others at a Crossroad.” Reddit post by John Jerryson. https://www.reddit.com/r/tifu/comments/2livoo/tifu_my_whole_life_my_regrets_as_a_46_year_old/
Lifehack: Painful Regrets Are Necessary Because That’s How We Learn. https://www.lifehack.org/508449/painful-regrets-are- necessary-because-thats-how-learn
Bronnie Ware: Regrets of the Dying. https://bronnieware.com/blog/regrets-of-the-dying/
NPR: Why We Can’t Shake Life’s “Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda” Moments. https://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php? storyId=550260750
The Ideal Road Not Taken: The self-discrepancies involved in people’s most enduring regrets. http://psycnet.apa.org/record/2017– 21180–001
Embrace your regrets and move forward, psychologist says. https://news.illinois.edu/view/6367/207410
Chapter 4
Giordano Bruno, On the Infinite Universe and Worlds. www. faculty.umb.edu/gary_zabel/Courses/Parallel%20Universes/Texts/On%20the%20Infinite%20Universe%20and%20Worlds.htm
15 Things You Might Not Know About The Alchemist. http://mentalfloss.com/article/63535/15-things-you-might-not-know-about-alchemist
Chapter 5
Living in Alignment with Your Personal Philosophy. https://findingmastery.net/living-in-alignment-with-your-personal- philosophy/
Dr. Michael Gervais: Finding Mastery Podcast. https://findingmastery.net/category/podcasts/
Chapter 6
Karan Baraj Online: http://www.karanbajaj.com/
Understanding the Pareto Principle (The 80/20 Rule) https://betterexplained.com/articles/understanding-the-pareto-principle-the-8020-rule/
Marie Kondo: https://konmari.com/
BJ Fogg, PHD: https://www.bjfogg.com/
A Different Environment May Break Habits: https://ww
w.apa.org/monitor/jun05/habits.aspx
Resist Average Academy Blog: https://resistaverageacademy.com/leap-of-your-life-spiritual-leap/
Chapter 7
Seth Godin, Linchpin: https://www.amazon.com/Linchpin-Are-Indispensable-Seth-Godin/dp/1591844096
Josh Kaufman, The First 20 Hours: How to Learn Anything, TED Talk: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY
Cal Newport: http://calnewport.com/books/so-good/ http:// calnewport.com/books/so-good/
How to Tell People What You Do in 3 Easy Steps. http://buildingastorybrand.com/minisode-1/
Donald Miller, Story Brand: https://buildingastorybrand.com/
Chapter 8
Tyler Perry, Higher Is Waiting. www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/534121/higher-is-waiting-by-tyler-perry/9780812989342/
Tyler Perry, A Place Where Even Dreams Believe. https://www .youtube.com/watch?v=ydqTZqoN0Qk
Take a Tour of Tyler Perry’s Massive New Studio on a Former Army Base in Atlanta: http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/tv/la-ca-st-tyler-perry-guided-tour-20161016-snap-story.html
How to Collapse Reality (Quantum Decision Making). https:// resistaverageacademy.com/quantum-decision-making/
You Now Have a Shorter Attention Span Than a Goldfish. http://time.com/3858309/attention-spans-goldfish/
Chapter 9
Marianne Williamson, A Return to Love. https://marianne.com/a-return-to-love/