"Be willing to be uncomfortable.  Be comfortable being uncomfortable.  It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream." -Peter McWilliams

They say that if you really want to stretch yourself and grow, then try doing something every day that scares you. What does that mean? It means if you want to make a BIG impact and live a life that matters you must get out there and CHARGE!

People’s fears range from the fear of flying to the fear of being around clowns! Some are realistic and some are off-the-wall. But one thing is for sure... the more you expose yourself to the thing that you fear, you'll learn to deal with that fear and manage it.  The most damaging fear is the fear that prevents us from taking a risk to improve our life and our future.
 
When I speak to groups, it is easy for me to find normal people who find regular things to be uncomfortable about.  Check out what I mean...

1. Going to a movie by yourself
2. Going to dinner alone
3. Walking into a party by yourself
4. Speaking before a group of people
5. Leading a meeting
6. Flying on an airplane
7. Pitching a new idea
8. Handling a snake
9. Being rejected
 
Did anything on this list make you nervous? Usually, all of us have things that make us uneasy. But the trick is to keep doing it over and over, until it becomes easy. 

What is it that scares you? Is it meeting new people? Is it going out and getting a job? Is it not being able to close the deal? Is it picking up the telephone to speak to someone you never spoke to before? Is it the fear of hearing, “No, thank you”? The fear you have in your professional life will prevent you from reaching the next level of success. If you are sales person uncomfortable with cold calls you will never reach your peak potential. If you are a teacher uncomfortable with really holding your students accountable you will never be “Teacher of the Year.” If you are an entrepreneur scared of risking it all, you will probably have nothing substantial to ever risk!

Having some fear is healthy for us.  It can allow all of our senses to be at their greatest capacity of alertness and be fully functioning, but having our fear run us is a different matter. It holds us back, and makes us lose out on things and events in life because we won't even try.
 
This week, challenge yourself. Take on something that is scary. Reach out and talk to that person you've been longing to ask out for coffee, but never had the guts to meet. Just do something... try anything that will stretch yourself.  I promise, when you do, you'll feel a sense of accomplishment, and you'll want to challenge yourself even more. Good luck and have fun with it.  Get out of your comfort zone. Do something you dread to do, and it will open doors!