“If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.”
Seth Godin
When something scares you, how do you respond? Do you back away in fear, or do you lean into it?
Losing to fear
Fear is an instinct, but often it doesn’t serve us well. It limits our capability. I would be a much better blogger, speaker, creator if I didn’t experience fear every time I put something out in the world. If I succumb to the fear and don’t create or share, then I am the one who is losing out. I miss out on the growth that comes from doing the hard work of creating and then experiencing the bravery of sharing.
Reframing failure
We fear failure, but the truth is that failure leads to success. The most successful people often attribute part of their success to their willingness to fail more than others. Michael Jordan has said he missed more shots than others.
Lean into fear
The practise of showing up and doing the work makes us better and stronger. As we create and share more and more, we become more willing to face those fears as we can see the progress and results. Our anxieties get smaller. We can then take on greater and greater challenges, which leads to more failures, more growth, and ultimately more successes.
Is playing it safe, really ‘safe’? If we stopped growing years ago, is that the right place to be?
Reflection
- In what ways am I currently playing it safe?
- How can I better seek out the challenges which scare me, but push me to grow?
- What is one thing I can do today to push me outside my comfort zone?
