“The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is, yet not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.”
It takes courage to explore who we are and risk moving from our comfort zone to achieve greatness. Whether in business or our personal lives, we grow from moving from the known to the unknown.
Encountering the unknown can be frightening, unpredictable, and challenging. However, it can also be exhilarating and enriching, opening up worlds we never imagined existed.
How do we move through the discomfort that holds us back? Fear and anxiety can indicate that we are moving out of our comfort zone and in the direction of our purpose. Finding the confidence to move forward begins with a desire for more. All change in our lives requires a thirst for something different, something more profound, a longing, or a burning passion for self-exploration.
Failing is always part of the journey to greatness. Shifting our mindset can reveal that failure is not a negative but an all-important component of success. Whether or not we achieve our expectations of accomplishment, both are valuable and equally important.
The one sure way to fail is by giving up or never starting—many stop before they begin. Unfortunately, our inner dialog – the voice that says Why bother, you’ll never be good enough, You can never succeed, or Why rock the boat, prevents us from taking the leap of faith to give it a shot.
These voices remind us of the what-ifs in life. Living in a world of what-ifs takes us out of the present moment and prevents us from stretching our boundaries. Instead, it keeps us within the confines of our comfort zone. Fearing everything that hypothetically could happen will not lead to greatness. Only one thing makes a dream impossible to achieve: the fear of failure.
Failing triggers various emotional reactions, including shame, self-worth, and feeling undeserving. Some people avoid failure at all costs. The possibility of feeling unworthy overshadows the glory of success. As a result, we shy away from action, attempting to shield ourselves from possibly feeling disappointed in ourselves.
Fearing success is different from fearing failure; while the fear of failure concerns our self-esteem, the fear of success may be linked to how others react to our achievements. Either way, the fear of striving higher keeps us stuck in a place that prevents us from reaching our full potential.
Reaching Greatness Begins By:
Setting goals that are easy to attain. Set yourself up for small wins. Each one enhances the brain with feel-good hormones. As these hormones rise, so will your confidence.
Define your strengths and your weaknesses. Honor where you excel and work on those that are underdeveloped.
Treat yourself with kindness. If you fail, reframe your mindset. Look for adjustments you can make. Research and speak to others who have expertise in the field. Remember, everyone was once a beginner. There is no shame in being a novice.
Trust your intuition; it is your higher self speaking to you. Turn off the negative self-talk and know that you have what it takes to take one more step toward the direction of your goal. We can always take one step, just one step at a time.
Let go of the idea that you may disappoint those around you if you fail or succeed. There will always be people that don’t want to see you break free. Instead, find support with those who have similar goals and passions.
Keep your goals to yourself. The fewer people to share them with, the less energy is dissipated.
If it were easy, everyone would do it. The times we push ourselves to our extremes or when we fall and get back up are the times we will recount. They become the legacy of our lives. When we look back, the most cherished memories are when we pushed ahead doing the things we weren’t supposed to do, but we did them anyway. We didn’t think about failing, but it wouldn’t have mattered if we did. This is also the instant that greatness is within reach. We allow ourselves to excel when we remove the fear of its consequences.
Are you willing to give it a whirl even when others tell you not to? Or are you willing to let go of the limitations you have suffered from family, peers, or even self-imposed continue to hamper you from taking action?
The more we fail and overcome, the more we grow and become exciting and vibrant people. We are drawn to stories of those overcoming insurmountable odds or the underdogs seemingly without a chance, not those whose lives are without struggle.
Living a full life is becoming someone you admire and are proud to share with others. Stretch yourself to transcend your comfort zone, to launch past the point you would not usually go. Through these journeys, we discover who we are, what we are made of, and where our greatness lies. Are you willing to risk moving from your comfort zone to reach the greatness that resides in you?
“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning, chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end, because in the end, it shows you a whole new world !
Make an attempt.~
