Embrace the Unknown: How Small Steps Lead to Big Growth

How can you embrace the unknown and turn that into opportunities for growth?

Every now and then I like to “get out in these streets” and be adventurous. That could be going to a restaurant by myself, heading to a retail store to purchase some items, or I might use Aira to walk around an unfamiliar area.

Why do I do this you might ask?

Well, as scary as it might feel, I’m focused on expanding my mental reach. Personal growth and development is very important to me.

One of my recent adventures led me to Fashion Valley Mall. In preparation for competition, I wanted to grab some items from Fabletics. When I hopped out of the Uber, I expected to be in front of Nordstrom, but I wasn’t. I stepped forward and stood on a median not knowing where to go.

When I’m in an unfamiliar area, I typically hit up Aira to get assistance so that’s what I did. The voice on the other end instructed me to walk straight ahead to cross the street. Then, I needed to turn right and cross another street. Once my cane hit the curb, I stepped onto the sidewalk and headed straight toward Nordstrom. Not that you asked, but Nordstrom is in my top five of favorite stores to shop.

This day I would need to walk through in order to get to the middle of the mall to continue toward Fabletics.

As I stepped into Nordstrom, my Aira agent helped me find the main path that led through the middle of the store. I felt so exposed. I felt like people were watching me. I felt the faint breeze on my left and right as people walked by.

And then…

Oops! I accidentally bumped into someone’s product table. So embarrassing!

A different voice from that of my Aira agent asked, “How can I help you?” I mentioned that I was trying to find Fabletics and the woman said she would help me. I didn’t want to take her away from her table but she insisted on helping and said it was no problem. We made our way to the opposite end of the store, walked out into the noisy center of the mall, went up the escalators, and shortly thereafter, we stepped into Fabletics.

So I ask you once more, how do you embrace the unknown and turn that into opportunities for growth? I get it. The unknown might trigger fear. The unknown can lead to uncertainty. The unknown makes us feel as though we don’t know what to prepare for.

I’ve felt a bit of that discomfort as I ventured to and through the mall that day, but what kept me going was the reward at the end - a new, all black, competition outfit to wear. Yes, I have to look good for competition. There’s cameras out there!

Rather than looking at the unknown as a threat, view it as an opportunity to explore new possibilities. New possibilities can lead to new rewards, and I don’t know about you, but I love rewards :)

What scares you about the unknown? Is it fear of failure? Losing control? Are you afraid of judgment?

Going to a store or the mall may be an easier experience for you, but for me, the thought can be overwhelming. The reality is that it’s the awkwardness that scares me. It’s the fear of doing just what I did - bump into something or someone. In some weird way, it’s also the fear of being misunderstood. That last one is probably because I’m a person with a disability, a person who is blind. I’ll go down that rabbit hole another time.

Are you being honest about why the unknown is fearful for you? My advice is to identify those pain points, and slowly begin putting yourself in situations that will help in overcoming those feelings. They won’t go away unless you put yourself in scenarios that address those fears.

In case you were wondering, Fabletics has some great employees and they helped me select a few options for outfits. It ended up turning out to be a transformative experience. I even packed a few of my books in my bag because my expectation was that I’d run into some really helpful folks on my journey, so the books would be given as a thank you. I left home with three books, and returned with zero.

I loved the fact that I embraced the unknown that day. I did something that a lot of people might not do. Embracing the unknown led to new possibilities, and those led to massive growth.

Embrace the unknown.

Identify your pain points, your fears.

Put yourself in uncomfortable situations.

And that’ll help you tremendously in transforming the unknown into opportunities for growth. For more leadership insights, check out my website, www.lexgillette.com.