Episode 12 - It's Your Roller Coaster

When I was much MUCH younger, there weren’t many things I enjoyed more than going to Six Flags during the summer with my friends. Every year I would take three or four buddies with me for my birthday and we would be there from the time the park opened until it closed. We’d ride the rides all day! Those are some memories that I will take with me to the grave. But let me ask you a question. Did you ever have the following experience? You’re in the line for the big roller coaster and this line would sometimes take over an hour to get through. Throughout the wait in line you and your friends are talking about how awesome it’s going to be to ride this monster. Half of the enjoyment, fun, and excitement of the ride is talking about it in line. You’re making plans about raising your hands during the ride, you’re making bets on who will start with their hands up, but won’t be able to keep them there for the duration. You’re also starting to make fun of the person that you know will be the weak link. Kids have a way of seeing through the person that’s talking a big game, but in their heart of hearts aren’t going to be able to do what they say they’re going to do. You just know at that age who’s going to chicken out, right? But you’re also just messing around with your buddies and egging them on. It’s not mean-spirited, you’re just messing with each other. You know that no matter what, hands up or hands glued to the rail, you’re going to ride this thing and have a blast! An hour or so goes by and you’re getting closer and closer to the point of no return. Until finally, the people in front of you step through the turnstile, get on the ride, and head out. You watch as their car pulls off and heads up that first big hill. You can hear the screaming start as they plunge down the first big drop. Oh man, there’s no turning back now. This just got real! The time for backing out has come and gone. If you leave now and start the walk of shame, you have to walk through an hours-worth of line behind you and every single person you walk past is thinking, “What a loser,” or, “What a wuss.” So really, you’re forced to ride now. But, there’s always that one friend that talks smack for over an hour about how he’s not only going to keep his hands raised with you throughout the whole ride, he’s also never going to let you live it down if you don’t. He’s got plenty of big talk, but not enough stomach to see it through.

This experience is the "jump off" point for this episode. Listen in and I'll tell you how it's a lesson for your roller coaster ride.