Almost all of us know what it means to be “between a rock and a hard place”. Normally, we find ourselves in that position accidentally, or at least unwillingly. To say the least, it’s usually an unfamiliar, uncomfortable, and often a scary position to find yourself in. In that proverbial position, your thoughts can work for or against you. Your decisions can seem impossible. Your actions have immediate consequences. Which is why this past weekend, the staff and mentors of Explore Austin intentionally put ourselves literally between a rock and a hard place. To remind ourselves how it feels, to see how we would react, and to make ourselves stronger (stronger individuals, stronger mentors, and a stronger organization), we visited Airman’s Cave on the Austin Greenbelt.
Airman’s Cave is about 2.1 miles long and has an average ceiling height of approximately 18 inches. That’s right, 18 inches (to add a sense of proportion, I’m 6’ 4” tall)! Most importantly, about 20 feet into the cave, the walls narrow into what is commonly referred to as “the birth canal”. The birth canal (as you might imagine) is a long, narrow, tube that is so small it cannot be navigated with your arms by your side (they have to be fully extended over your head). Once inside, the only way to move forward is literally an inch at a time, and only when you exhale. Your mind tells you it’s impossible to make it through while your body struggles to prove it’s not. It’s dark, it’s damp, and it’s difficult! But, again, that’s why we were there!
You see, the mentors and staff of Explore Austin realize that in order to serve as examples to the program’s participants (Explorers), we must put ourselves in their shoes. We must remind ourselves what it’s like to see the program from their perspective. We must ask of ourselves what we ask of them, and we must hold ourselves accountable to the same ACES framework to which we hold them accountable. Airman’s cave forced us to do just that. We experienced first-hand what an Explorer feels when we ask him to do something for the first time. We felt the fear that many Explorers feel when confronted with the mental and physical challenges that Explore Austin presents to them. Like our Explorers, we were reminded that we are able to overcome those fears with the help of our teammates. Like our Explorers, we saw a place we had never seen before. After completing the challenge, we felt a sense of pride, of accomplishment, and of improvement. And, after all was said and done, we all admitted that, despite the challenge, we had a blast!
After exiting the cave (and yes, the only way out is by navigating the birth canal again), we were dripping in sweat, covered in mud, and mentally and physically exhausted. We discussed all of this amongst ourselves. We explained how we planned on applying the lessons we learned to our individual daily lives. We committed ourselves to using our experiences to be more effective mentors. We reminded ourselves how much our Explorers deserve our admiration. We reaffirmed our belief in ACES. And, we agreed that our experience at Airman’s Cave had helped make us a better organization.
At Explore Austin, we are committed to continuing the journey to becoming a more professional, effective, and sustainable organization. Along that journey we will certainly find ourselves between a rock and a hard place (as individuals and as an organization) more than once. However, no matter how small the gap between the rock and the hard place, we will have last weekend’s experience to draw upon. Having been through Airman’s Cave together, I have no doubt that as an organization we have the ability to take a deep breath, exhale, and wiggle our way (one inch at a time) through the tightest places…. All while having fun and making a difference!
Onward,
Todd