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The Challenge – Stepping Out of Your Comfort-Zone

January 31, 2010

The Challenge:

There is something misleading about being in your comfort-zone both professionally and personally. Although it feels “right” it doesn’t challenge you to expand your capacity. The more often you step outside your comfort-zone, the more confident you will be in your ability to manage the stress of new situations and environments.  For this challenge, identify an area of your life that makes you feel anxious or afraid and then find a way to overcome that fear.

This task is worth 50-points on your scorecards.

Thought Provoking Questions:

What area of your life did you choose to focus on?

How did you feel after you challenged yourself to overcome a fear?

The Lesson:

There are many ways to challenge yourself in different areas of your life. The hard part is taking that first step to overcome your fear. Each time you repeat this process it will get easier, and at some point you will no longer feel the same level of anxiety. It’s at this moment that you will know you have expanded your capacity and you will have to find another fear to overcome if you wish to expand any further.

Have fun with this process.  If public speaking is your fear, perhaps you take an improvisational comedy class or join Toastmasters. If need be, write a personal development plan as described in my article on WhatCollegeForgot.com and find several areas of your life to expand upon. Remember, you won’t learn new things if you don’t DO new things.

“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”- Brian Tracy

The Challenge – Be Here and Now

January 17, 2010

The Challenge:

As we grow older and gain more responsibility, our minds are thinking about the future further and further in advance.  For example, a college student may be thinking week by week whereas a career professional is thinking 6-months in advance or more.  This continuously extending outlook can make it difficult to be in the moment.  When this happens, focus on one aspect (i.e. the sound of a heart beat) until you feel yourself come back into the here and now.

This task is worth 40-points on your scorecards.

Thought Provoking Questions:

What distracted you from enjoying the moment?  Was it work, chores, etc.?

What did you focus on that helped to bring you back into the moment?

The Lesson:

There are many moments in life that we glaze over because we are focused on the “to-do” list or something that needs to happen in the future.  Although it is good to have ambition, be sure to soak in the moments that are right here and now.  What you will likely find is that it is easier to achieve your goals when you give your brain the chance to be calm. 

To drive this point home, let’s say that you can run at top speed for a period of 15-minutes before you pass out. Your body will literally collapse.  When we “run” our minds at top speed for too long, it too will collapse.  We call this “exhaustion” or feeling “burned out” in which it feels like it takes a ton of effort to make any forward progress.  This is precisely the time to live in the moment and give your brain a chance to stop and rejuvenate.

“Happiness is not a brilliant climax to years of grim struggle and anxiety. It is a long succession of little decisions simply to be happy in the moment.” – J. Donald Walters

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