20 seconds of courage

You need just 20 seconds of courage to change your life around.

So it's Sunday afternoon, I am baking a triple chocolate brownie and the house smells amazing.
I flick the TV on and We bought a zoo is playing. It's that scene where Matt Damon is showing his two kids where he first met his wife. For those of you who haven't seen this movie Matt tells them that in life to succeed all they need is 20 seconds of insane courage and something amazing will come out of it.
 Matt saw his wife through the window of that very same diner. He was on the street and he saw her and thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. Matt re-enacts the moment for his kids. How he stood outside looking at her, how he was nervous but then he just grabbed his 20 seconds of courage.  He just walked up to her and said excuse me and she smiled back, and he said "Why would someone so amazing talk to a guy like me" and she replied "Why not?"
Ofcourse, they got married had two kids. But, what if he chose to walk past her? He would have never had the life he did.

Sometimes, I think that we overthink things. I know I definitely do. But, just taking a leaf from this movie and what Matt had to say to his kids. I wish we all took more risks, we didn't wait. We went ahead and used our 20 seconds of courage.

Send that text, make that call, sign that contract, meet that ex, eat that cake, hug that friend, give him your number, join the random adventure trip, smile at the stranger with your favourite book, start that blog.

Matt didn't just tell his kids how he met his wife, he taught them the concept of possibilities. Why not?

Ask yourself why not? Every time a sense of self-doubt takes over. If it feels right, if your gut tells you to go with it. Go for it. I am not suggesting a completely up in the air decision. Weigh your pros and cons. But, please don't get clouded by the cons. The pros are there for a reason.

In the words of the immortal genius of U2's "Stuck in a moment" song:
You've got to get yourself together
You've got stuck in a moment
And you can't get out of it

Don't wait to make your dreams come true. Imagine this, if all the great thinkers, scientists, lovers, inventors, game changers, had all waited and walked past their window of opportunity, then nothing innovative, beautiful or life-affirming would have ever happened. Life would seize to exist as we know it. Your happiness is just a 20 second courageous moment away, go be awesome.