Do Something Everyday that Terrifies You

12,000 feet above land and water and falling through the skies at 120 mph, sounds terrifying to me but not to my daughter! She jumped out of an airplane earlier this year in Hawaii. (Click here to watch the video.) This Mom is happy I didn’t know in advance. Thankfully, she told me after she completed the jump.

Having courage to do things that scare you can help you grow personally and professionally. Sure, you could continue the safe path, the one where you know what’s going to happen tomorrow. You might even hate the direction you’re going, but it is familiar, and humans are wired for familiarity.

But here’s the thing: If we aren’t afraid at least some of the time, we aren’t learning. A life of complete predictability and familiarity is not a life that’s dynamic and ever-changing. In order to become bigger, better, smarter people, we need to embrace fear when it shows up in our lives. This could mean dumping that dead-end job in favor of something that makes you happy, ending a relationship that isn’t working anymore or moving to a new town. Regardless of what “it” is, learning to feel the fear and do it anyway can only make you a happier, more capable person with some really interesting stories to tell.

Make that call. Start a company. Get up and karaoke. Talk to a stranger or even jump out of a plane. Whatever it is you feel you want to do–do it! The anticipation of the event is far more painful than the event itself.

“Inaction breeds doubt and fear. Action breeds confidence and courage. If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy.”
-Dale Carnegie

Up and Up!