I had to have one. A photo, that is. I walked into the skydiving facility and was surrounded by the life-sized photos of people who had gone before me. The reality was that I would hand over my hard-earned money, strap myself to a stranger, and throw myself out of a perfectly operational plane just to have a photo of my own. Excited about the possibilities of the outcome, I figured it was worth it. So after signing a waiver, off I went.
There I was, sitting in a little plane accompanied by my husband, a few friends, and the skydiving staff. There was no turning back. Regardless of my doubts, I had come to grips with the fact that in order to have a successful outcome (a photo to hang on my wall) I had to trust the process, my tandem man, and the key to the plan for success – the parachute.
As I later recalled my emotions of that day, questioning my intentions and the value of the experience, I realized that what I was feeling must mirror what our clients go through during the strategic marketing process. Some fear the process; others have doubts in the parachute and want to make knee-jerk reactions accordingly. What if I panicked and interfered with the process mid jump? How would that affect the outcome? What if I didn’t trust my tandem partner to do his job and guide me safely to the ground? I have a new found respect for the trust that we have earned from those with whom we work.
What I learned that day is that you must trust the process and keep your eye on the prize. It was not the most comfortable thing I have ever done, but the result was more than I could have hoped for! And I do have a fabulous shot of me and my (crazy) Aussie tandem partner at 12,000 feet, and memories of a trip through a real-life cloud and a landing that was a perfect ten.
There were only two rules that I was required to follow on my skydiving day.
1) Trust your tandem partner
2) Do not doubt the parachute
jenn@freshdirtmarketing.com
www.freshdirtmarketing.com
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