He realized that following the experience of others didn’t diminish his manhood; it helped him live up to it.

Before coming to SA, I prided myself on being able to figure things out on my own. I work as a Firefighter in my local town and am known as the go-to guy when it comes to fixing things. So when I was told to take actions based on what other people had done, I struggled. Where was the pride in that? I felt as though this was my problem, and if I don’t figure it out on my own, I’m less of a man.

But soon I realized I had no other logical choice but to follow in someone else’s footsteps if I wanted out of this mess I called a life. Once I let go and followed, positive results came. This all reminded me of a situation when I followed someone else’s footsteps or, should I say, tire tracks.

I grew up riding dirt bikes and always wanted to race. Finally, in my early 20s, I started racing motocross with my stepbrother who had been racing for years. I didn’t have a lot of success in the beginning because I wouldn’t jump the larger jumps. I was terrified of crashing and just couldn’t do it. Well, one night at the track, my stepbrother told me to find a rider on the track who was jumping the jumps that I wouldn’t jump and to follow his lead. So, I found a rider and followed him. Making all the moves he made and matching his speed, and even though I thought it would be “off the edge into oblivion”, I did it! I didn’t crash; I followed his lead and landed the jump with ease. The rest of the night I jumped that jump without hesitation.

I still struggle with the pride of figuring things out myself, but because of the Program, I am aware of the value in following those who went before me. I now know I’m no less of a man because of it.