Do the Scary Things: Embracing Risk, Change, and Growth

Do you often find yourself shying away from something because it feels scary? Whether it’s taking on a big project at work, applying for a new role, or speaking up in a meeting, the fear of failure, rejection, or discomfort can keep us stuck in the familiar.

Here’s the thing, and I KNOW it sounds ridiculously cliche... growth truly doesn’t happen in your comfort zone. It happens when you do the scary things. And it will pay off.

Quit Your Job, Move 2000 Miles Away

When I was 25, I left my stable job at a big company and started working for a small company that I didn’t know much about, mostly because the work sounded interesting and I thought it would compliment what I was studying at the time.

It started out great, but within a few months, the honeymoon period wore off and I started realizing it maybe wasn’t the best fit for me. This happens.. right?

The truth was, I was in a bit of a crisis. I thought I had made a great career move, but it seemed like I took a horrible wrong turn. I could go back to the stable job maybe, but thanks to supportive family and mentors, I saw an opportunity to reevaluate where I wanted to be in 5-10 years.

I had always wanted to move to the mountains, driven by a passion for mountain biking and the outdoors in general. So, I made a decision - I’m going to quit my job (again), go back to the big company I left before, and put in a transfer to Oregon.

This was the scariest thing I had ever done up to that point in my life. Moving across the country to a place where you had never even visited is a massive leap of faith. It was terrifying, but I knew that it was much scarier to look back in 20 years and wonder “What If?”

So, I did it - and while I could bore you with the entire journey, I won’t - I could write 3 posts about the journey alone. After 8 years, 4 promotions and three different cities later, I met my wife-to-be and settled down in a small town on the Oregon Coast. I haven’t looked back and wondered “What If?” I stayed in my hometown, it’s clear I took the right path.

Here's the thing... even if it hadn't worked out, I could have moved back. The moral of the story? Unless you really make a colossal error, you can pretty much always backtrack.

Comfort Zone

I started this post with my story, because before I made that decision, I was unfulfilled and felt “stuck” most of the time. Like I was just waking up and going through the motions. I learned later that I felt that way because I was way too comfortable and not writing my own story because I was worried how it would turn out if I took the wrong turn.

Over the years, I’ve come to realize that the moments I’ve grown the most - as a person, a professional, and a thinker - were the moments when I was experiencing lots of discomfort.

Taking risks and embracing change doesn’t just make you better at your job; it transforms how you see challenges, problem-solve, and build resilience.

Why Scary Things Matter

1. Growth Through Discomfort: When you tackle something that feels overwhelming, you’re forcing yourself to learn. New skills, new perspectives, and even new confidence emerge from the struggle. If you have recently tried to learn something new, you can relate to this. It’s SO frustrating. But then, you start to get it, and that feeling is incredible.
2. Improved Critical Thinking: Risk often requires strategy. You learn to weigh pros and cons objectively, think creatively, and adapt quickly - all essential skills in any part of your life.
3. Building Resilience: Not every risk will pay off, but failure teaches valuable lessons - sometimes more valuable than successes. Over time, you become less afraid of failure and more capable of bouncing back quickly. It’s a muscle that has to be built.

How You Can Start

If stepping into the unknown feels daunting, start small. Volunteer for a task you wouldn’t usually take on. Reach out to someone whose work you admire and ask for advice. Or say “yes” to an opportunity that feels just a little out of reach. Be vulnerable, but move with intention. Each small step builds your tolerance for discomfort and your ability to take on bigger challenges.

Remember - nobody would expect you to be able to run a marathon on day 1. You have to put the “reps” in and build up slowly. When I was in the process of moving to Oregon, I had six months to prepare. I would make sure that I did just one small thing every day to get ready - search for jobs I could transfer into, find an apartment, research best areas to live in. The small steps all add up to still taking that big leap, but it makes it all more manageable.

Recognize yourself for taking small leaps of faith. Reinforcing the effort with reward helps you associate stepping out of your comfort zone with good feelings.

The Payoff

When you make “doing the scary things” a habit, you begin to see fear as an indicator, not a stop sign. It’s your mind’s way of signaling that you’re about to grow. The more you embrace that growth, the more confident, capable, and innovative you become - not just at work but in every aspect of your life.

So, what scary thing will you tackle today?