I recently watched a video of people dropping in for the first time (thanks YouTube algorithm). In skateboarding, dropping in is the commitment at the top of the ramp. At the top, you’re standing still, staring into the abyss, and then suddenly you’re flying down the ramp and dancing with gravity.

The most important thing to do when dropping in is to commit. The worst thing you can do is half-ass it. When you only sort of commit, you’re likely to fall.

Learning this reminded me of something my dad used to always say. Decide once. You can choose to say no. But once you decide, commit to it and do it to the best of your ability.

I wish I could ask him what he really meant by that, but here’s my interpretation. One can spend endless hours contemplating a decision. But after a while, you’re better off just committing to something and facing the consequences, especially when excessive hesitation leads to time wasting and decision fatigue. As long as you wear a helmet, the worst possible outcome is you learn from it and leave with a great story. The flipside is that it might just change your life.

Indeed, it seems that in many areas, the decision to drop in is precisely at the heart of the challenge.