As I get ready to head out for a week at the lake with my family I thought I would repost this blog for myself and hope that it has some benefit for my readers. Things are better but this is still a good reminder for me!
My business as a speaker, coach, and trainer is struggling and it’s my fault.
This is hard for me to admit and put in writing but it’s true. In order for me to solve my problem I need to get uncomfortable.
I struggle with promoting and marketing my business. I have a fear of telling people, “here’s who I am and what I do and how I can help you.”
At the very core of that fear is my struggle with self-worth, the feeling that I don’t really have anything of value to offer.
As I look back on my Reader Survey results I see the same core fear in people’s responses to question #8: What is the greatest challenge you face right now in living more courageously?
We live in a culture that takes great pride in being comfortable and avoiding being uncomfortable at all costs. Working through our fears requires us to be uncomfortable.
Let’s look at the auto industry as an example.
Our cars start themselves so we can get into a comfortable car depending on the season. Our cars park themselves so we don’t have to drive around and avoid having to parallel park. Our cars actually talk to us and tell us where to go so we don’t have to look on a map. Our cars have heated seats and temperature zones so we can all have our own level of comfort.
In and of themselves these are not bad things. While I drive a 2004 model car I do have a couple of these luxury elements in my vehicle.
At the core, however, the message we receive is that we need to do everything we can to be comfortable and to avoid being uncomfortable.
The reality in life is that we only grow through being uncomfortable.
We didn’t learn to ride a bike without falling down a lot. We didn’t make the team or the choir or the band or the school play without first trying out and probably failing a few times. We didn’t graduate from high school or college without taking some classes that we did everything we could to avoid. We didn’t get married without first asking out or accepting a date that had us anxious, nervous or even nauseous to think about. We didn’t get our first job or our promotion without applying for and interviewing for the position for which we didn’t think we were qualified.
We cannot be courageous in life without being uncomfortable. We cannot be courageous in life without being willing to fail and learn from that failure.
Tuesday, October 14, is National Face Your Fears Day. Yes, it’s a made up “holiday” but I like this one.
I will be doing something uncomfortable that day to grow my business.
What is one thing you will do courageously and uncomfortably on this day to face your fears?
Oh, and by the way, if you need a speaker for an event that can challenge you and your teams to grow and be more courageous I think I know a guy who can help you out!
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Have a STRONG and COURAGEOUS day!
Very much appreciate this post Dave. The statement of sharing “here’s who I am and what I do and how I can help you” and the doubt that i have something valuable to share as well.
Now I do know God has given me a story to share for the sole purpose of helping others. He certainly did give it to me just for my own good, although it’s a small piece. Bottom line is, it’s good to be reminded I’m not the only one who struggles with this.
Thanks for being vulnerable and open about your struggle. Believe it or not, it gives me fuel to keep moving ahead.
I agree that being comfortable is dangerous place to stay. That’s where atrophy sets in and growth ends. Here’s to National Face Your Fears Day!
Blessings Dave and I’ll see if I can find you in the land of uncomfortable!
Dan, thanks for your thoughtful response to my post!
One of my hopes with my blog is to help people recognize they are not in the boat of struggle and challenge alone.
When I speak I say that we never get together with our friends and talk about our fears. We most often put on the happy face and pretend everything is fine. I’m sure you know already that if we’re willing to share our struggles it opens doors for others to share theirs. It’s uncomfortable but incredibly helpful to know we’re not alone!
Another hope is to greatly populate the land of uncomfortable. When I visit there, I don’t see too many people so there is plenty of room!
Thanks, Dan!