There's a scene from The NeverEnding Story, the 80's movie classic I loved as a kid, where the hero Atreyu must pass through a narrow valley to complete his quest and save his world Fantasia from being consumed by an evil force called The Nothing.
Guarding the narrow valley is The Sphinxes Gate, two giant sphinx statues posted as sentinels that evaluate everyone who attempts to pass.
"The sphinxes eyes stay closed until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by."
The gate is a test. Not of strength, bravado, or achievements but of courage, honesty, and vulnerability. Atreyu notices a knight in full armor on horseback approaching the gate and watches through a telescope.
"Let's see what he really thinks of himself."
As the knight approaches the sphinxes, their eyes begin to open. He gets between them, and suddenly *BLAM BLAM* lasers shoot out of the sphinxes' eyes, incinerating the knight.
"Fancy armor doesn't help. The sphinxes can see straight into your heart."
Getting vulnerable feels a lot like attempting to pass through The Sphinxes Gate. Vulnerability can cause us to question, doubt, or diminish our own self-worth and risk getting zapped. Since we don't like getting zapped, we avoid vulnerability altogether, preferring to keep our armor on to protect ourselves.
The feeling of raw exposure that comes with vulnerability is one of life's biggest tests. Can you expose yourself through vulnerability without diminishing yourself or your worth? Yes. It's an act of courage, honesty, and willingness.
At some point, to complete your quest, you'll need to pass this test. If you're willing to put your armor down and courageously pass through the gates of vulnerability, you will earn access to the next exciting phase of your journey.
As for what happened to Atreyu, you'll have to watch the movie.
The time is now. Do the work.
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