MMM #4: Leaning Into Challenge
When things get tough, do you lean in? Or do you hide out, playing small and settling for average? We’ve been conditioned to believe that things we want will come to us with ease. But, the reality is that the lessons and experiences that shape us the most come when we are brought to our edge. How can we learn to embrace challenge and consistently lean into the unknown?
Synopsis:
Why do we shy away from challenge?
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Fear of “failure” – this is HUGE, and we don’t give enough credit to how scary it is to put our sense of “belonging” and being “worthy” to others on the line
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Much more comfortable to stay small and play it safe
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Enemies of Learning – Scott Coady (ALM)
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Not wanting to look stupid
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Need to look GOOD
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Approval-seeking
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I “should” know how to do this already
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Learning to embrace challenge
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We don’t learn anything by having an “easy life”
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The failures and successes we have in the face of challenge are what DEFINE us, make us who we are
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What is the COST of you playing small?
TAKE ACTION:
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What is ONE area of your life where you avoid the challenge? (i.e. taking the easy road, searching for a shortcut, etc.)
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EX: Setting up my website for my side project
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Ask yourself, “Why am I avoiding this?”
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Narrow it down to ONE primary reason why you are avoiding it
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EX: I don’t know what I’m doing, I’m afraid that I will have to follow-through after I put myself out there, What if people don’t like it?, etc.
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Choose a BOLD action that forces you to take this challenge head on, whatever the challenge is.
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EX: Buy the domain, choose a launch date, declare your commitment to at LEAST 3 people close to you who you speak with on a weekly basis (or more frequently)
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