This past weekend, my wife and I watched the movie Divergent. The film depicts a futuristic society divided into 5 subcultures or “factions” as the story goes. The main character grows up in one particular group with a strict set of guidelines and imposed values. It is a requirement of every citizen in this society, irregardless of upbringing, to chose a faction with which to identify for the remainder of their lives. The main character chooses a faction other than “her own” and the movie portrays her new lifestyle training to become something other than what she groomed to be. As the story goes, every citizen is to belong to one (and only one) faction…the way that this society will be able to maintain peace and order for future generations to come. What twists the plot is the fact that the main character is “Divergent.” She cannot identify with one group alone but carries qualities and feelings of all 5.

Rather than giving away the premise of the entire movie (of which I highly recommend!), I wanted to focus on one specific scene for the remainder of this post. Towards the end of the film, the main character along with her family is pursuing the rogue leaders of the faction that she chose, DAUNTLESS. Earlier in the film, the new members of this faction had to pass a terrifying and uncertain test…leaping from the top of a tattered building into an abyss that appeared to have no end. Death was perceived to be imminent, but nonetheless the new members had no other choice but to jump. Of course, they all jumped and the film went on.

Finding herself in the exact same situation, the main character advised her companions while standing on top of the same building…

“DON’T THINK, JUST JUMP.”

Of course, her companions quickly followed suit and all 4 arrived at the intended destination UNHARMED.

Can you relate to my sentiment with this illustration from a major motion picture. Have I struck a chord? How many times have you robbed yourself of greatness by over-analyzing the facts of the matter? How often have you (or do you) find yourself uttering “if only” or “what if I would have?”