Good Times
I have been fortunate to spend the weekend with friends that I have not seen for a long time. I love it when you are able to pick up the old relationships right where they left off. One of the conversations I had was one of facing challenges and what to do next.
My friend knows what he should do, but its scary. He will receive criticism equal to a public flogging if he chooses to do this. But it’s not for the critics, it’s for his own personal growth. We’re all on a journey and this should be the next step in his. It’s one decision that will affect the rest of his life.
When I talk to him about it, I see what happens, because we have all done the same thing. The decision to go is scary and there are a number of unknown variables that are involved. But those unknown variables are exactly why we need to do these things. We need to face those unknowns to challenge ourselves.
The Hardest Part
Steven Pressfield calls it “the resistance.” Seth Godin says it’s caused by our “lizard brains.” I think it’s something deep within us that wants us to stay comfortable. Anytime we are faced with a challenge that we know will push us to our limits (physically, mentally, spiritually, or other) we always ask ourselves “Do I have what it takes?”
That’s a hard question for many of us to answer, especially when we’re faced with the unknown. It can bring on anxiety and cause us to take a good hard look at ourselves. If we’re going into a new adventure, how do we know if we have what it takes since we’re never experienced it? We don’t, but that’s why we are able to grow from these experiences!
That thing we were so worried about isn’t as scary when we go right up to it and stare it down. We have a tendency to build things up in our minds to make challenges larger than they really are. And when we get through them, we see that it wasn’t so bad. We gain the confidence that will help us go into the next unknown adventure.
FAILURE
Life is a journey and it’s not about always succeeding. Some of the most successful people I know have a lot of scars. They have failed a lot of times, but we never see those from the outside. We only see the successes and that’s what we compare ourselves to.
But when we get to know those successes, we find out that those successes are often spawned from those scars. We cannot let the apprehension for failure, that is not even certain, stop us from trying.
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What challenges are you facing that you need to take on? Leave a comment below or chat with me on Twitter!
Have a great day!
