The document recounts a personal experience of bungee jumping, highlighting the stark contrast between the author's first and second jumps. The author reflects on how initial fear transformed into exhilaration and discusses the concept of reprogramming our brains to build confidence before taking action. It suggests that understanding and overcoming our instinctual fears can lead to a more confident approach in various life situations.

2. I remember the first time I went
bungee jumping, a long time ago.

3. Of course, I've only gone twice, but the
first time was WAY different than the
second time.

4. Even though my conscious mind was
totally aware there was ZERO danger, I
was still petrified.

5. Me and a buddy went to this
amusement park, and one of the rides
was bungee jumping.

6. It was about twenty stories high, and
the stairway to the top was inside the
skeleton like structure.

7. We decided I'd go first, so my buddy
watched me walk up to the top.

8. He said I was slow, and hunched over,
like I was walking to the gallows or
something.

9. The guy at the top gave me the
instructions (just stand at the edge and
lean forward), and I almost passed out
from fear.

10. But as soon as I went past the moment
of no-return, something pretty
amazing happened.

11. My fear was immediately replaced by
exhilaration.

12. Excitement.

13. A feeling like I'd never felt before.

14. Pure adrenalin.

15. The next time I went, (a year or so
later) it was much different.

16. Since I knew what to expect, it was
exciting the entire time.

17. I walked up the stairs faster, and
instead of slowly "leaning forward," I
leapt off the top platform.

18. Most conventional wisdom tells us we
have to do something first, and then
the confidence comes later.

19. Normally, this is true.

20. But normally, we're using our brains
the way they are hard wired.

21. With the factory installed
programming.

22. Programming that was designed for a
time when there were just as many
critters trying to eat us as we were
trying to eat them.

23. As you're well aware, that's not true
any more.

24. There's rarely any physical danger.

25. If you're in a job interview, and you
give the wrong answer, the guy's not
going to call in a couple of goons to
beat you to a pulp.

26. If you walk over and talk to a pretty girl
and say the wrong pick up line, she's
not going to pull out a switchblade and
stab you in the eye.

27. But our caveman brains don't think so.

28. Our caveman (or cave woman) brains
are still screaming bloody murder, like
there're tigers around every corner.

29. The good news is that with a little bit
of reprogramming, and some targeted
visualization, you can flip the switch on
where confidence comes from.

30. You can get the confidence FIRST, and
then take action.

31. Easy action.

32. mindpersuasion.com/selfconfidence/