What would you do if you weren’t afraid?
A while back I watched Sheryl Sandberg, COO of Facebook, discuss her book Lean In. During her talk she asked that question, and it has really stuck with me.
What would I do if I weren’t afraid?
What would I do if I knew I could not fail?
So many times I second guess myself, hold myself back, because I’m not completely confident that I can do something.
I hesitate because I have doubts I’ll be successful in the way I want to be.
I delay and procrastinate doing the thing that is out of my comfort zone.
Can you relate?
It’s so much easier (at least in the short-term) to play it safe.
To stick with what we know comes easily – to stick with the known rather than risk the unknown.
Sometimes it’s ok to stick with what we know, but many other times we are just plain missing out.
When we play it safe, we’re missing out on new opportunities, new friends, new accomplishments, new activities, new things to learn, new ways to grow, new career directions that could lead to years of fulfillment.
Are you holding yourself back because you’re afraid?
I encourage you, as I encourage myself, to lean in.
Be willing to take a risk – to step out of your comfort zone – to take on a new challenge.
Ask yourself – Would I be less hesitant doing this thing if I KNEW it would go well?
If so, don’t hold yourself back – move forward.
Reach out to someone who is doing something you would love to do and ask for advice on how to move forward in that field.
Don’t hold yourself back because it is out of your comfort zone to volunteer for a new project at work, to call someone you don’t know, to speak in public, to take a challenging class or major in a more challenging area, or even to go back to school or to work after years of being out of the classroom or out of the workforce.
Lean in.
A major focus of my practice is teaching my clients strategies, based on their individual aptitudes, for how they can be their most successful. There is so much support out there for you, whether it’s school-related, or being your best at work, or finding your ideal career – take advantage of it.
Don’t hold yourself back.
Think about what you would do if you knew you could not fail.
And move forward to do it. Take a step forward. And then another. Be proactive at building the skills you need.
One step at a time, you CAN do it.
And I’m here to help.
To your success-
Blessings,
