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Searching For The Perfect Wave

By Will Turner

The following is an excerpt from the graduation speech my daughter, Crandall Turner, wrote and presented at her high school commencement in June, 2006. While I left in her references that are relevant to her classmates in high school, the underlying message is one that is appropriate for people of all ages. As a proud father, I also have to say that Crandall delivered the speech flawlessly, even though just minutes before she went on stage she shared with me, “I’m so nervous, I’m going to pee in my pants.” Thank goodness for graduation gowns!

I want to ask you a question and I really want you to think hard about your answer. What would you do if you had no fear of failing? Would you have tried out for a certain sports team, joined drama, the band, asked that special someone out on a date or taken more challenging classes? If you were guaranteed success, no matter what, would your future be mapped out differently? I guess the real question is why do we allow the fear of failing to hold us back, to concern us and define who we are?

I can honestly say that I don’t even know the answer to all of these questions, but I do have a story I want to share with you that might help. Thirteen year-old Bethany Hamilton loved to surf. She surfed almost every day and as an amateur surfer Bethany was ranked eighth in the world. One beautiful November day in Hawaii as Bethany paddled out to catch a wave, she had no idea that in several minutes her life would be changed forever. As she lay on her board searching for the perfect wave to ride back into shore, Bethany felt a heart-stopping pain rush through her left arm.

She was stranded in the water and could barely move. Blood rushed out of her. The water surrounding her quickly turned crimson. Pain consumed the entire left side of her body. Bethany had been attacked. A fourteen-foot tiger shark swam up behind her, bit off her arm and then vanished. Bethany literally had minutes before she was going to bleed to death. Yet, she found the inner strength to paddle with one arm all the way back to shore. Her friends rushed to help but by the time she got to the hospital she had already lost 70% of her blood.

Although Bethany’s life was saved, one would think the story would be over. For most of us, we would never get in the water again. Heck some of us would never even get back in the shower. However, for Bethany the story had just begun. Only several months after Bethany’s tragic attack, she was back riding the waves and surfing competitively. That same year Bethany placed fifth in the National Surfing Championships and secured a spot on the U.S. National Surf Team. Even after this harrowing experience, Bethany has not allowed her fear to hold her back from her passion of surfing. She has even raised her level of competition. She says that she wants other people to follow their dreams despite obstacles that seem insurmountable.

So what holds you back? What keeps you from trying? Is it because you are afraid to let down other people or are you afraid to let down yourself? Does your fear of failure have a sharper bite than a shark’s tooth?

When I hear Bethany’s story I’m truly inspired. I think the world is over if I get a zit on my face, and she lost her entire arm. It’s people like Bethany who make me question my excuse for not trying. But my answer is that failure scares me. Sometimes I feel the need to hold myself back because I don’t want to be disappointed. I don’t want to fail. So I settle. I don’t put myself out there because I convince myself that I’m satisfied.

So the best advice I can give you as we graduate today is to never settle. Don’t allow your fear of failing or the fear of what other people might think hold you back from doing what you are truly passionate about. Embrace the many new opportunities that will present themselves. Some may frighten you. And in those moments ask yourself “What would I do if I had no fear of failing?”