What Are You Afraid Of?

Unfortunately many of us were taught that failure is a bad thing. That it is to be avoided. Why? Because failure makes us uncomfortable. And as human beings, it is wired in our DNA to crave comfort. To subconsciously make things as easy as possible. But that’s not how you grow.

You grow through discomfort.

You grow through challenge.

You grow through adversity.

If you want to maximize your potential as a leader, you must condition yourself to be comfortable… being uncomfortable.

How many times have you heard that you need to work hard to be successful?

Probably more than you can count.

But no one really defines what hark work is or what it means to work hard.

Here is my personal definition: Hard work is intentionally leaving your comfort zone with purpose.

If I had you start doing push-ups right now… what would you do when it started to get tough?

You’d stop, right? Unless you were insane!

I mean once your chest and shoulders and arms were on fire… and burning… and you were shaking… you’d stop.

But what if I told you that the reps you do after it becomes uncomfortable are the ones that make the difference.

They are the ones that allow you to get stronger.

The same is true in business.

It's only after a few no's... after initial resistance... that the best ideas surface. 

I want you to think about a firefighter. The brave men and women that run in to burning buildings while everyone else runs out. Like firefighters, the best constantly run towards discomfort… and embrace failure.

Failure is the catalyst to growth. If you are closed to failure, you are closed to improvement, development and ultimately success.

And it’s OK to have a slight fear of failure. That will keep you on your toes. Having fear keeps you sharp. Being scared paralyzes you.

Alan Stein, Jr. is speaker, author, and performance coach whose programs teach businesses and organizations how to develop championship-level performance, cohesion, and accountability. Visit www.AlanSteinJr.com for more information.