The Importance of Remaining Vulnerable

Several weeks ago in sacrament meeting, the speaker said, "You need to choose to remain vulnerable. Don't let trials harden you." I don't even remember the context in which it was spoken, but those words have stayed with me, and I've pondered them ever since. In my pondering I have found that the decision to remain vulnerable is essential to successful living.

There is a time in between making a decision and knowing its outcome in which you feel unsafe and vulnerable. You put yourself out there, you took a risk, and you don't know what will come of it. Will it be exhilarating success? Will you suffer a crushing defeat? You don't know. And in the meantime, you feel uncomfortably exposed.

These situations present themselves all the time--learning a new skill, sharing your feelings about the gospel to someone, making a controversial point in class, asking someone out on a date, telling someone you like them, etc. The risk taken can vary from small to momentous. In addition to risks, I believe that any time you fully invest yourself in something you are making yourself somewhat vulnerable. It is safe to be mediocre; full investment in anything can be emotionally and/or physically unsafe. And I believe that taking such risks and making such investments are what make a life lived.

After investing yourself in something and experiencing failure, your wounded heart might encourage you to curl up in a ball and not expose yourself to defeat ever again. This is where "choosing to remain vulnerable" comes in. Remind yourself of what you want to achieve. You have to choose to take the chance of failure, for this is the only way to take the chance of success. Inaction guarantees zero success.

One of my favorite country singers, Garth Brooks, wrote a song about this. He said, "Life is not tried, it is merely survived if you're standing outside the fire." Of course it's safer to stand outside the fire, but to what end? Your dreams, your hopes, your goals and aspirations all require you to take the chance of getting burned. That is the only way to achieve what you want in life.

So if you feel that uncomfortable twinge of vulnerability, remember this and take heart: you are choosing to live the life you want to live.