Some jobs are dangerous

A man told the ringmaster that he was interested in joining the circus as a lion tamer. The ringmaster asked if he had any experience, and the man said, “Why, yes. My father was one of the most famous lion tamers in the world, and he taught me everything he knew.”

 “Really?” said the ringmaster. “Did he teach you how to make a lion jump through a flaming hoop?” 

“Yes, he did,” the man replied. 

“And did he teach you how to have six lions form a pyramid?” 

“Yes, he did,” the man replied again. 

“And have you ever stuck your head in a lion’s mouth?” 

“Just once,” the man replied a third time.

The ringmaster asked, “Why only once?” 

The man answered, “I was looking for my father.” 

Some jobs are simply dangerous. Take those construction workers on sites balancing on beams from hundreds of meters above the ground. Or how about bomb disposal squad members and firefighters? Man, those are dangerous jobs!

Ever wondered how they’re able to do what they do? Ever wondered where they get the courage to do what they do?

Former New York mayor and American presidential candidate Rudy Giuliani shared a story in Singapore one time. The story never left me since then. Mr. Giuliani related, “The New York firefighters are probably the best firefighters in the world. One day a building was on fire and the situation was not very good. Some of the firefighters were shaking their heads. One of them said, ‘This baby is a goner….’ And then they heard a scream for help from inside the building. One of the firefighters broke rank and rushed inside, prompting the rest of the firefighters to shout ‘Don’t go in there….’ But he did, and in the nick of time saved a young boy trapped inside the building. The firefighter pulled him out of the edifice just before the whole thing collapsed. What an act of bravery.”

Was he brave? Of course he was! So the next day, Mr. Giuliani, being the mayor of the city back then, was tasked with pinning the medal of valor on the young firefighter. But the brave public servant was in one corner of city hall all shook up and trembling like a leaf. He was scared! So different from the day before when he was all brave and courageous!

Mr. Giuliani explained. “You see, the firefighter will be given the medal for bravery all right. But after that, he will have to face the public and the press, and give a public speech. The firefighter has been trained to fight fire, but he has never been trained to make a public speech!”

We are always afraid of doing things we have no training in. This is the reason why only a few people feel comfortable speaking in public. But there are the brave souls who join clubs like the Toastmasters who are trained in the art of making and delivering impromptu speeches.

Are you afraid of something? Learn and study and master the very thing you’re afraid of. This is why training and continuous education is so important. Eleanor Roosevelt says, “You gain strength, courage, and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face.”

I used to be afraid of what the future would bring. And then I studied Scriptures, and I’ve discovered that the best way to fight fear is faith. Not just blind faith, but faith from revealed truth. Try it. It works!

(Spend two whole days with Francis Kong developing your leadership skills  at the EDSA Shangri-La Hotel. For further inquiries, contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy Inc. at 632-6872614 or 09178511115.)