Why Not.

"Why Not?" is my new mantra. It's effective date was Januray 1st, 2010. I plan to keep it the rest of of my life.

Wikipedia defines a mantra as a word or group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation."

In the movie, Never Back Down, after dealing a substantial blow to the protagonist, the antagonist says, "When you get tagged, your brain registers one of two things: Back the hell up.. or get the hell in."

I love that line. I know that often the worst thing for me to do when I get "tagged" in life is to sit in the middle. I refuse to be ignornant to the fact that retreat is sometimes the better option (more on that later). But starting this year, I am using the mantra "why not" as a personal battle cry to get the hell in.

First, let me cover retreat: Retreat is not Surrender.

Retreat is choosing to place objective clarity over the emotions of ego. Retreat is living to fight another day. It's not being so blinded to zeal that attempting to win every battle causes you to lose the war. I have been in times of retreat, often because it has been my only option and trust me, it's a fight all in itself. Retreat requires more courage and emotional fortitude than charging. Any blood-drunk fool can rush the field, retreating requires an acute self-awareness, a prescence of mind about the reality of the situation despite the adrenaline and the emotion coursing through your veins. It requires strategy because you will need to convert your retreat into a positioning that sets you up for success in the next skirmish.

Unfortunately, there have times when I retreated and instead should have charged. I allowed myself to surrender to the insecurity of rejection and passed on opportunities that could have been life-altering. I want to transform my mind in these situations from retreat to get the hell in... Why not?

My dad, who has been in sales for over 23 years told me this: "You don't get unless you ask." I have realized that all the things in life that I want begin with asking for them. This forces me to have courage in the fear of rejection. I have social anxiety, rejection is a big thing for me. I can only bolster my courage in these situations by making a decision to get the hell in - "why not" is my battle cry.

In an appeal to logic, I use a sort of Pascal's Wager in approaching rejection: If I ask and I am rejected, my life is no different than if I hadn't asked at all. If ask and a door is opened, then I have taken another step in my journey to my heart's soul purpose. Therefore, why not ask anyway?

Here's examples of how I've walked the talk since I started using my mantra to create a transformation:

I ask for more responsibilities during a volunteer project... Now I report directly to the Executive Director of the organization who offers to give me school credit for my efforts, lets put the operations projects I work on in my resume and offers to write letters of recommendation any time I need them.

I am asked, as a class assignment, to interview an entreprenuer. I say "why not" and ask my professor to make an introduction to Rick Alden, a Park City Resident, and 2009 Entrepreneur of the Year for the United States. He's says "shouldn't be a problem", I'm expecting an email in a few days.

A friend recommends that I intern for an $18 million, student-run Venture Capital Fund. I say "why not" and ask the aforementioned professor for help on getting accepted. Turns out he's well connected in the Venture Community in Utah and California, and is willing to help me go after it.

I finally introduce myself to the gorgeous girl that works at a downtown coffee shop I have frequented for months. Later, I say "why not" and go ask her out to dinner. Though she blushes, she rejects my offer. I am still alive and life is no different than if I hadn't asked her.

The Challenge is this: get the hell in. When the situation calls your name, charge straight into the heart of your fears... You'll never know what's in the next room if you don't knock on that door.