A Facebook friend recently posted a video of a number of people going to the edge of a 10-Meter dive platform.  Some of the people were too frightened of the jump.  Some went back and forth.  Some actually jumped.

There was some commentary about weakness in the knees – a common fear-induced response.  Someone observed that the majority of the ones that jumped had last-minute knee failure – their jump ended up being a kind of drop/fall.

This is a good example of how our paradigms and the “Terror Barrier”  can get in the way of doing something new.  It is also a good example of how the paradigm can influence the outcome.  The best technique is to make a clean jump, keep the balance and keep the feet together.  Through making a weak-kneed jump, it’s more likely to lose balance and hit the water wrong which could be rather painful.

Side note: there was one young couple who jumped.  The woman was very supportive of her partner.  She encouraged, felt his fear, but ultimately helped him take the jump, and celebrated his accomplishment.  Then she jumped, too, without nearly as much drama.