Chicken Airplane Rocket

Step 1: On your back. Arms and legs bent like wings. Looking at the sky.

Here's a boy who is unsure about his role in the universe. He has big dreams, lots of imagination. He is told he can do anything he puts his mind to, but he never really believes it. He's accustomed to a life of ease. Growing up he was shielded to many of life's most difficult challenges. He had a happy childhood, a single mother that put her only child's happiness and comfort above all else. She made personal sacrifices to ensure that he was blind to their relative poverty. She ignored her own needs, bought him the toys he wanted and took him where he wanted to go. School was easy, thanks to a winning sense of humor and enough smarts to make decent grades without ever having to try very hard. He lived under the false impression that the process of going to high school and then college would provide some sort of automatic life path. Congratulations, young man! Here's your degree that means so much and here's your job that will last forever! You've made it!

This boy, under a protective layer of diversionary jokes and sarcasm, was a scared, timid soul. He had never really cared enough about anything to try hard. Lie. The truth was, he was afraid to try hard at anything because what if, after all that time and effort, he failed? By being naturally good at most things he did and not taking too may risks, failure (and her cousin, rejection) had never really been a part of his life. He wasn't sure he could take it. Better to just float by with minimal effort and see where the current takes you to try to swim to a shore you may not be able to reach. Right?

Step 2: Arms straight out. Legs in a V.

After falling into an enjoyable job and an enjoyable relationship, the boy figured that he now had it made. Here was a full-time job that utilized an innate set of skills. It was fun and fulfilling. Here was a woman who was willing to integrate her life with his., to be his partner. Maybe she was the one who would finally give his life a path. Yes, of course. She was his reason for being. He married the woman and it was fun and fulfilling. He tried harder than ever before to be the best husband he could be. But people change and so do feelings. She pushed him to try to be something more. This was uncomfortable for the boy because he was quite happy with what he was. At least that's what he told himself at the time. She tried to force him to change into something he was afraid he couldn't be. Well, through nobody's fault but their own, the enjoyable marriage turned into a less-than-enjoyable divorce. Pain, sadness, anger, blah, blah, blah. That story has been told a million times. It is so uninteresting.

Years later, stronger from having endured the split but, the boy keeps having a nagging thought: The woman was absolutely right. He should strive for more. He should try harder. But then an even louder nagging thought: Look at what happened last time he tried. All he got out of it was a nice bed and half a relationship's worth of credit card debt.

Step 3: Press your arms to your side. Bring your legs together. Whoosh.

Years pass. The boy is content, nothing more. The boy takes greater responsibility at work. He gets a promotion. For a while it keeps him going. He likes his job and focuses on that. The nagging voices persist, but it is easy to tune them out after a lifetime of practice ignoring unpleasantness. Everything is settling in for a life of modest comfort. Maybe this is all he was meant to do? It feels... good? Yeah, let's go with good. But it's not really that good. Just easy. And then-

POW

-life kicks him in the nuts. His mom, who has grown to be more than a parent, who was his friend, confidant, support system, dies. It hits him hard. That is an understatement. It destroys his life. Throws everything he once thought he believed into question. He reevaluates his life. In order to recover from this crushing blow, he must become a different person. It was no longer enough for him to just be content. He realized that it would be a waste of all that his mom had sacrificed if he didn't try to go into the world and make something of himself. The worst possible thing that he imagined could ever happen to him did. And he survived.

He has big dreams, lots of imagination. He feels a powerful force inside of him. It has always been there, but it was held back by the fear. Life's too short for fear. He knows that now. He leaves the comfort of his job. It was not the right place for him anymore. It is his destiny to share his power with the world. He knows how corny it sounds, but it is the truth. If he tries hard and believes in himself, he might just be able to achieve greatness. Or, he might not. But he has to try. There are lessons to be learned from both trying and failing. But to not try is to fail and learn nothing.

So this is it. The man is off to make his place in the world. He does not know what the journey has in store, but what's the point of going on an adventure if you already know how it's going to end? He is ready to find out.

Step 4: Repeat: Chicken, airplane, rocket. Chicken, airplane, rocket.

Now you're swimming.