As I was scrolling through Pinterest yesterday in search of an image for another piece I’m writing, I came across this image of a small boy making his way up a seemingly endless staircase. He’s determined – knees lifted, arms pumping, no sign of slowing down.
How many times do we stop mid-step in our journey to gaze up at just how far we have to go? Our nerves get the best of us. We wonder if we can really make it to the top. Maybe we should just turn around now, save the effort and the energy. Is the rest of the climb really worth it, especially if we don’t know what the world will look like from way up there in the great beyond? Isn’t this spot where we are right now good enough?
Maybe, but personally I like to know my options. I want to see the world from way up high, knowing that I can always stroll back down if I want to. I’m too curious to give up the climb; too in love with the journey itself to turn away from possibility.
Don’t let the height of that staircase, nor the effort it requires, keep you from going further. Don’t think about the top; just think about the next step. One by one, take them in stride, and enjoy the experience that each one offers.
The short of it:
Writer. Health, education, and art advocate. Theater and film producer. Visual artist. Product geek. Proud alumnae of the University of Pennsylvania (BA) and the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia (MBA). Inspired by ancient wisdom & modern tech. Proliferator of goodness. Opener of doors. Friend to animals. Fan of creative work in all its wondrous forms. I use my business skills to create passion projects that build a better world. I’ve been called the happiest New Yorker, and I try hard to live up to that title every day.
The long of it:
My career has stretched across Capitol Hill, Broadway theatre, education, nonprofit fundraising, health and wellness, and Fortune 500 companies in retail, media, entertainment, technology, and financial services. I’ve been a product developer and product manager, theater manager, strategic consultant, marketer, voice over artist, , teacher, and fundraiser. I use my business and storytelling to support and sustain passion projects that build a better world. In every experience, I’ve used my sense of and respect for elegant design to develop meaningful products, services, programs, and events.
While building a business career, I also built a strong portfolio as a journalist, novelist, freelance writer, interviewer, presenter, and public speaker. My writing has appeared in The Washington Post, The Huffington Post, PBS.org, Boston.com, Royal Media Partners publications, and The Motley Fool on a wide range of topics including business, technology, science, health, education, culture, and lifestyle. I have also been an invited speaker at SXSW, Teach for America, Avon headquarters, Games for Change, NYU, Columbia University, Hunter College, and the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America. The first book in my young adult book series, Emerson Page and Where the Light Enters, was acquired by a publisher and launched in November 2017. I’m currently working on the second book in the series.
A recovering multi-tasker, I’m equally at home in front of my Mac, on my yoga mat, walking my rescue dog, Phineas, traveling with a purpose, or practicing the high-art of people watching. I also cut up small bits of paper and put them back together as a collage artist.
My company:
I’m bringing together all of my business and creative career paths as the Founder of Double or Nothing Media:
• I craft products, programs, and projects that make a difference;
• I build the business plans that make what I craft financially sustainable;
• I tell the stories that matter about the people, places, and products that inspire me.
Follow my adventures on Twitter at https://twitter.com/christanyc and Instagram at https://instagram.com/christarosenyc.
View all posts by Christa Avampato
2 thoughts on “Leap: You Don’t Need the Destination, Just the Next Step”
Thank you soooo much for this blog post Christa. I am almost to the summit of teacher training and was feeling so overwhelmed about finals and my first public class but last night I had a real breakthrough in my practice and in my heart and today here is your post. Take it step by step and don’t let my mind wander to all sorts of crazy places and most of all breathe. I too like the view from the top but as important I am enjoying all that I am learning on the journey.
I really enjoyed this post. And the picture says it all. You’ll never know what’s at the top til you’ve reached each step, but each step has its own experience for your to discover and enjoy!
Christa Avampato 
Thank you soooo much for this blog post Christa. I am almost to the summit of teacher training and was feeling so overwhelmed about finals and my first public class but last night I had a real breakthrough in my practice and in my heart and today here is your post. Take it step by step and don’t let my mind wander to all sorts of crazy places and most of all breathe. I too like the view from the top but as important I am enjoying all that I am learning on the journey.
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I really enjoyed this post. And the picture says it all. You’ll never know what’s at the top til you’ve reached each step, but each step has its own experience for your to discover and enjoy!
LikeLike