On July 1st of this year, I celebrated my 5-year anniversary since starting Hale Financial Solutions. I left a stable job at a large bank, in a very enjoyable city, surrounded by kind, generous friends and neighbors. But while my job was comfortable, it wasn’t fulfilling. And while the city was fun, it wasn’t the right place for my growing family. And while kind people are fine, I don’t like people (kidding!).

Five years feels like a long time ago, and I’ve forgotten some of the details of my decision to leave that comfortable place. But as my wife and I welcomed our first child into the world in 2016, I knew it was then or never.

So I chose to do a really scary thing.

In the film La La Land, Emma Stone’s character stands in a small room for a movie audition. Unexpectedly, they ask her to tell a story. You can see the hesitation and worry on her face. She starts in, telling about her aunt who used to live in Paris.

I remember she told us she jumped into the river once, barefoot
She smiled
Leapt, without looking
And tumbled into the Seine
The water was freezing
The spent a month sneezing
But said she would do it again

It’s a powerful moment. And something we all need to remember: Are we making room to do the things we would love to do, but scare us?

I hope you’ll allow this idea to stretch beyond your financial life. Sure, there are meaningful things we can do financially that, while scary, are for our good like cutting unneeded spending or upping your retirement savings. But I’m talking more about living the life you want to live. I suspect there are some things you would love to do, but the fear of failure, missing out (FOMO), or not making it might get in the way.

This time last year, I was studying to pass a final examination to become a CFP (Certified Financial Planner®). It was grueling. My book smarts are par for the course on a really good day. Not only that, but my clients had never asked if I hold the credential and it never came up in conversations with others. Still, it was something that I had wanted to do.

Last November I took the exam. It was a difficult six-hour test, but after selecting my final answer I felt fairly confident clicking the “Submit” button. When my results were displayed my heart skipped a beat:

FAIL

I had failed. Failed. This isn’t uncommon for CFP test takers, but it meant something different for me. My professional and personal life had become a flurry of busyness: The continued growth of Hale Financial, community and religious obligations, a busy family life. It meant I had to close the door on this chapter of my life.

All that work and time...lost.

Yes, doing scary things may mean failure. It did in this case...kind of. Even in failure, the experience I gained is vast. Not a day goes by that I don’t apply something in my work that my CFP studies helped me learn. Did I earn the credential? No. Did the four years of studying make me a better financial planner? Most definitely.

When I started Hale Financial Solutions around July of 2016 I had no clue whether it would succeed. As the business sluggishly moved along into 2017 I had the same feeling. And again into 2018. Only within the last year has the business experienced its “hockey stick” moment, when the growth ramps up exponentially.

The scary thing I did paid off, but only after several years of scary.

My life in no way is perfect, but in my Salt Lake City days I knew there was something more. Doing a thing that scared me led me to a career that is deeply fulfilling, in a beautiful community, surrounded by great people.

Something similar may be in store for you. But it usually takes doing something scary.

For me, I would “tumble into the Seine” all over again.