Jump

Posted by: Wilson RMS on: August 16, 2010

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I jumped out of a plane Saturday.

Actually, it was more of a push — a push from my tandem partner at the sky diving center — that got me airborne.

But, the rush of free falling from 9000 ft up was more intense than anything I’ve ever experienced and, amazingly, unlike anything I’d ever anticipated. To borrow a very over-used phrase:  I have never been more in the moment.

It was the same for the friends I was with — shout-outs to our fearless leader, Marion, and fellow flyers Darryl and Terry — and for everyone else we watched drop from the sky.

As each tandem’s chute opened and they became visible in the east, besides the faint whoops and hollers we could hear on the ground, what became most obvious was the mile-wide smile plastered on the face of every first-timer.

And then, it was over.  Days of build-up to the big event, filled with nervous excitement and anticipation, ended with the flutter of a parachute as we glided quietly to touch down.

In the 48ish hours since my smooth landing, I’ve been thinking about what motivated me to get in that very small plane, fly out over the East End of Long Island — and literally put my life in the hands of a complete  stranger.

As a business owner and self-identified adrenaline-junkie, my willingness to take risks has been rewarded time and again. Whether I’m committing untold agency resources to blow out a new business presentation — then watch us go on to win the pitch — or I’m leaving much too little time for traffic on the way to the airport — but I make it to my seat just as they close the plane door — my penchant for calculated risk-taking grows with each successful outcome. So, for me, skydiving was something that I just had to do.

But, now comes the real test.  As we embark on our 10th year in business, I find myself wanting that next interesting challenge — the client with the intractable business problem, or the new new thing we can add to our capabilities that will truly set us apart as a business partner. But, I also see myself struggling daily to let go and hand over the day-to-day operations to my very competent team — so that I can do more of what I love and more of what helps drive the business.

On Saturday, I trusted a guy I’d first met only 15 minutes before to guide me safely down to earth, but like lots of business owners, I’m still working on how best to operate the helm at Wilson RMS.

Jump will be my way to put it out there — thoughts, feelings, questions, and maybe even a few answers — as I learn to trust in a completely new way. Let me know how it sounds to you.

— Dave