PHOENIX — We’ve all been there at some point in our lives. Whether we are looking for a career change or just a simple change of scenery, we come across pivotal points in life that require us to make those big, life-altering decisions.
But for some, taking those fear-defying leaps into the unknown is anything but natural. Those decisions fester inside us as we wrestle with what comes next.
- Do I ask them to marry me?
- Should I put in for that promotion?
- Will moving out of state really make me happy?
We go back and forth, weighing the pros and cons of each decision. How do you overcome that fear of not knowing what will happen next? What does it take to look your future in the eye and push through to find success?
Well, let’s ask a guy who literally takes big leaps every day and jumps out of planes for a living.
Nicholas Batsch, 40, is an Arizona resident and world-renowned skydiver. He started skydiving in 2001, completing 400 jumps in his first year alone. Since then, Batsch has more than 12,000 skydives under his belt and earned more than 30 World Championship medals. He’s also a 10-time world record holder and six-time World Champion.
“It really comes down to finding those moments where you have to push through everything,” Batsch stated. “It’s a grind, it’s a daily process.”
He added that it’s the failures that teach us most about who we are as individuals. It shows us how we handle stresses and our capacity to overcome obstacles.
“The more you put yourself out there, the more you learn about yourself as an individual,” he said.
This sentiment certainly rings true for Batsch after he overcame his own adversity. After a severe injury a few years ago, many thought it would be difficult for Batsch to ever walk again, let alone skydive. But after spending more than three years rehabbing and regaining his strength, he returned to the sport he loved in 2021, winning Gold at the National Championships and earning a spot on the U.S. National Parachute team.
Along with the success, Batsch said it’s great to be back experiencing the rush of skydiving again.
“It's so freeing,” he said about the sensation of soaring through the air. “The sensation of being by yourself with no one around but you and the empty sky is something else.”
He also said that you don’t really feel that “pit in your stomach” sensation when you jump out of the plane since your moving so fast during the flight. But you will notice the 100+ MPH winds at your face once you take the leap.
For Batsch, he said he’s lucky enough to have found his passion and was able to do what he loves as a career. He realized what he wanted in his life and took the leap to follow his passion and found success. If you’re still searching for your own path, Batsch stated you need to be ready to put in the work.
“There are a lot of hardships in this journey, but you must keep working towards your goals,” he proclaimed. “Make sure you put your hard work in for whatever you are passionate about and you can achieve anything you want.”
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