My friend Frankie got a new toy from Santa this year. A pogo stick. Now this is not just any pogo stick. It’s the Lamborghini of pogo sticks. Forget bouncing around the driveway. This thing flies! Literally.

Instead of traditional springs, this one is pumped up with air and can bounce 8-10 feet high. The company website shows videos of folks doing stunts like mid-air flips, leapfrog and the can-can peg grab.

Frankie is a bright, energetic boy. He lights up a room with his enthusiasm. He’s also tenacious. When he spotted this Vurtego pogo stick online, he was hooked. He spent hours watching the videos and reviewing the specs. He researched the competition and started corresponding with the president of the company. Yes, he and Ian are now on a first name basis.

In spite of the pogo perfection, he knew it would be a tough sell to get his parents (or Santa) to deliver the goods. Not only are they expensive, they’re not exactly the safest toys. And his mom works in insurance. ‘Nuf said.

When it came time to pitch the idea to his folks, Frankie pulled out all the stops and delivered a conference room-worthy presentation. He created slides and videos that answered his parents’ questions before they could ask them. He covered pricing, value, physical fitness, fun, and, of course, safety.

To drive his point home, he plucked at his parents’ heartstrings by sharing the company’s mission:

“Our goal at Vurtego is to bring back a little bit of that childhood joy that seems to be missing from today’s world. We make the best quality pogo stick that we possibly can with the hopes of putting a smile on our customers’ faces as they achieve personal flight – if only for a heartbeat.”

Bam! Nailed it. Personally, I think Ian should hire Frankie to lead the Vurtego salesforce. This kid can sell. Nothing was going to get in the way of him and his pogo stick. Needless to say, Christmas morning arrived with a big box under the tree for Frankie. His hard work and determination produced results.

What can we learn from this zealous young man?

• Know your target audience
• Do your research
• Use your manners and say “please”
• Go for it!
• Remember to have fun

As adults, we often squelch a good idea before we embrace it. We worry about failing instead of considering success. We may want to fly but are tethered to the ground by fear and negativity.

What would you do untethered?

What would you try if you knew you would not fail?

Embrace 2016 like a 13-year-old boy. Excited, joyful, uninhibited, untethered. Remember your “someday” goal? That thing in the back of your mind that you want to do someday? Well, today is someday.

Get after it! It’s time for you to fly.