We don't build up courage; we let go of fear.

​Several years ago, my twelve year old Ian bet his older brother Elliott $10,000 that he - Ian - would never ride the 305 foot high Intimidator roller coaster at Kings Dominion. I guess that was Ian's way of holding himself accountable to never stepping foot on that ride.

Then, earlier this year, Ian rode the Intimidator. And Elliott promptly tried to collect his ten grand. Ian said he'd get a job some day and gladly pay up. 🤦‍♂️

A few weeks ago, Ian told Elliott he had an idea. He told Elliott that if HE rode the intimidator, he'd give Elliott ten grand and they be even.

Elliott said he'd think about it.

Wait? Even? Clearly Elliott's status as a gifted math student was failing him in this deal. Or, maybe more, Ian's status as a gifted manipulator was too much for any mathematician to overcome.

But there we were yesterday. I was sitting in the car behind Ian and Elliott - brothers - thousands of bucks on the line - about to be launched 305 feet into the air and then swung down and around at 90 miles per hour for two solid minutes.

I asked Elliott, on a scale of 1-10, how nervous are you? Elliott said seven. I said, the good news is you are strapped in. It doesn't matter how nervous you are at this point. You've made the choice and it's go time.

And off we went.....

The look on Elliott's face when the ride came to a stop - it was priceless. I've seen it before. I've seen it on him and on his brother and I've seen it in the mirror. It's a look I've seen on a lot of people in my life.

It's the look of someone who tossed a big honking bag of fear over the side of a roller coaster in the middle of the ride of their life. It's the look of relief, the knowing - I'll never have to carry that stupid bag again.

Because that's what that ride was for Elliott - and Ian before him. Their first Intimidator rides didn't come the day they'd built up enough courage to ride the coaster. They came when the boys were finally willing to let go of their fear of it.

A lot of time in life we get to thinking the time between I'm afraid of something and I'm now ready to do that something is a time of building up courage. When in reality, many times, that time is more about being unwilling to let go of our fear.

When Elliott got done with that first ride, he couldn't get in line quick enough to do it again.

The dad in me patted him on the back and let him know what a launching pad that was for conquering other fears in his life.

The Keith in me, well I wondered if he was thinking about all the rides he missed while he was holding on to fear.

I wondered how many things I was missing out on in life while I was - and am - holding on to fear.

When I was talking to the boys about overcoming fear, Ian said, "it's just a roller coaster."

I reminded Ian that it wasn't always "JUST" a roller coaster to him.

Isn't it funny - just how "un-intimidating" the Intimidator becomes once we let go of our fear of it.

But that's what happens when we let go of fear. Fear is a constant threat. It's the invisible enemy in our life that runs around making everything in front of us seem bigger than it is. Every bulding in our life becomes a skyscraper.

Then we climb the skyscraper.

We tell someone how we feel.
We sign up for that race.
We change that job.
We buy that cabin.
We try out for that team.
We ride the Intimidator.

We throw away the fear and the skyscrapers come down. All the world becomes our neighborhood. Friendly. On a scale of 1-10 - no fear.

Not because we built up the courage to make it so, but because we let go of the fear it could never be.