Taking the Leap & Finding Comfort in Fear

If you're a driven, motivated and passionate business owner, then chances are you've already taken a series of leaps in your career to get to where you are.    These can be as small as taking on a small rental to get your clinic started, spending chunks of hard-earned money on your marketing campaigns or training... and these leaps can be as big as quitting your part-time income and going full-time into your own practice, taking on a big lease to expand your business, or investing large chunks of your cashflow into events where tickets are yet to go on sale.

All of these leaps take courage, and all of them are working to get you towards that vision... that vision that keeps you motivated and inspired.

I have taken lots of leaps over the past few years in my businesses - all of the above and more, actually.

I invest a LOT of money into my own professional and personal development, and I am eager to keep expanding my horizons and my comfort zone by continually investing into the fruition of my goals.  To me, it's the number one priority.  But, it wasn't always that way.

I used to be so scared of getting out of my comfort zone - as soon as those boundaries were breached, I didn't know how to cope.  My moods would spiral and insecurity, doubt and fear would completely dominate my reality.  The first leap outside my comfort zone was in my first ever clinical job.  I was offered a position in a multi-modality clinic at the Sunshine Coast, and I went head first into the opportunity by quitting my full-time job in Tech Support and relocating to the Coast... within a week.  Yep.  I risked not only my financial security, but also my relationship.  I got to the Coast and found that the books I'd been told were full were empty, and the breakdown ensued.  I had no option but to make it work, and eventually I realised that only with confidence and courage could I do that.

Two years later, I took a big leap and opened my own clinic.  I still kept my security with my part-time income.  The next leap was, yep, you guessed it, quitting that part-time income.  I chose to do this in December (highly recommend not going full-time in your clinical business during a holiday season!).  Another breakdown ensued.  Yet, I knew that if I couldn't get over this hurdle, I didn't have what it took to own my vision.  So, I made it work.  

The next leap was investing in business mentoring... and the next was a REALLY BIG leap in how much faith I had in myself when I signed my first commercial lease.  The next leap was even more expensive business mentoring... hiring contractors, investing in fitouts of my clinic, investing in the opening of my second business (this one!) and software that I knew would help others in business and clinic.  And, now, I recognise - through all of these emotional battles and growth that has inevitably come from these - is that it doesn't take courage to dream big... it takes courage to take action to make those dreams happen.

The truth is, your comfort zone doesn't serve you.  No growth happens in comfort - that's the whole seduction of it to start with.  When you stretch outside of your comfort zone, it's scary - and it takes belief in yourself and your purpose to withstand being in that discomfort.  

The biggest achievements I have ever had have only happened because I took a leap and chose to find comfort outside of my comfort zone.

I realised that every time I took a leap, I could see more details in my vision and goals... I gained more confidence because I'd managed to pull off something I feared so much to begin with... I met new people that were in the same stages of growth and found support and motivation not in order to be comfortable enough to leave my comfort zone... but because I had left my comfort zone with no questions.  

If you are someone that has big visions, and you're looking at others that are moving ahead in leaps and bounds... I want you to understand three things:

• You will never be able to avoid the fear that comes with growth.  It's an essential part of growth, because your egoic mind is saying "Hey, holy sh*t, do you realise you're outside of your comfort zone?".  That's it.  Fear is a bold reminder that you're pushing boundaries you never have before... and you HAVE TO DO THIS in order to grow.
• If you're not taking action because of FEAR or DOUBT, and you're trying to find a way for these feelings to go away BEFORE YOU TAKE ACTION... know this day will never come.  And you will remain where you are.  Fortune favours the bold... those that are willing to take a risk and take a leap, despite the fear and doubt.
• The most defining moments of your life... and the most defining parts of your character are shaped by these leaps.

Playing small, and playing in your comfort zone means no further growth and progression.  

Choose wisely, because the leaders, the influencers, the most successful people in the world all share one thing in common: they took the leap.