It’s a crazy idea to chase a lion. Your brain signals you the strong impulse to run the other way, fast! I decided to live divergently, that is different than the way I had been living for more than half a century. I ran towards the roar.

I developed that thinking even before reading Mark Batterson’s book, “Chase the Lion.” Mark’s writing put words to what I had already decided more than a year before. I chose to chase the lion of “fearing failure” and began to pursue an idea that scares me. In July 2016, I ran out of my safety zone and towards the roar of a scary, 500-pound opportunity — starting my own consulting company. The chase is on with stiff-jawed determination.

In my life, I had not been a risk taker and hadn’t in any way demonstrated the characteristics of an entrepreneur. I had sought the safety of a good paying job with benefits and a family life held in thoughtful balance. I lived for optimizing the variables I could control. Not any longer.

When I began to think of the remaining years of my life, I knew I could choose to glide into retirement with some semblance of security that I could live well enough. That comforting thought gave way to a nagging idea that was not good enough. The nag kept annoying me with another vision—there is still something more fabulous for me to do. I decided that facing my fears would be better than living comfortably safe and dying in regret that I missed an opportunity. I had a choice to make. Would I choose to live fully now or languish until eternity took me away?

I chose to live fully and chase the lion, which I call DivergentED Consultants. The idea of working for myself as a consultant had previously scared me into the paralysis of the fear of failure. I knew if I tried to optimize the risk of setting up all the variables for a successful business launch, I would not do it. So, I followed a big, scary dream. I chased my fear and uncertainty armed with three truths: 1) I had enough talent to get started, 2) the unconditional support of my wife and family, and 3) faith in God covering my back (which is ultimately all I needed).

I am still chasing that lion, and I know that when I catch it, I’ll see another one to pursue. I am choosing to finish my life active and in full stride, exhausted and expended, but with contentment. When I cross the finish line, I will look back with no regrets for bypassed opportunities for the sake of comfort.

Chase the lion. If your dream doesn’t scare you, it’s too small.