If you play at the edges of your comfort zone

"And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music." -Nietzsche

I've had this quote as my status on various platforms for years. It is a quote I keep close to me in my phone.

• If you want to grow, there will be times you need to deal with the ability to stretch.
• If you want to create, there will be uncertainty.
• If you want to walk a different path, there will be more stones and weeds to deal with in the way.

If you want to play at the edges of your comfort zone, there will be a lot of discomfort.

Whether it was the divorce, or leaving banking for consulting and then for fintech, going into entrepreneurship for my coaching practice or studying new ideas with communities outside of my "mainstream work", it was not always something people around me understood at that time.

I remember halfway through many work projects for transformation, leading change initiatives and external courses I took, I'd wonder: "what is the point?" and "why not the easy route where everyone else is? at least I don't have explain myself."

The truth is, I'm not 100% confident with every new exploration. Just like the curiosity I have navigating the Web3 and Gen AI space with respect to business processes or the possibilities it extends to existing business and future businesses it will create:

?? Sometimes, it's just great to learn new skills because my mind cherishes the process.

?? Sometimes, it will not lead to any obvious external success.

?? Other times, it doesn't make sense to me until many years or projects later.

But fear of not being understood is not reason to stop exploring, growing and following what feels aligned.

So how then, if you have a change, a new dream, an inkling to follow your instinct? Here is my toolkit and I hope it helps you create a toolkit of your own:

• For the raw ideas, nurture privately, protect it before it grows a little bigger for you to share to the world. Not everything has to be a post.
• For the dreams in process, celebrate small wins and nurture your relationships - the ones who have your back, even without understanding what are you trying to do sometimes.
• Pace yourself. If you get frozen, that's ok. Not all ideas have to be executed today, not every idea has to be nurtured at the same time.
• Adopt the mantra: Just dance (in lady gaga's words). Just be. There is no need to justify, defend, convince others of you.
• Grow grit. Often, we fail to nurture an idea to completion, because we forget our vision, our intention and to keep showing up.

To all those who are seen dancing, and thought to be insane by those who do not hear your music, keep following the rhythm of their heartbeat.

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