Fearless
By Edge Women Speaker Lynn O’Dowd
Think about it. Where are you right now in your life? Where do you want to go? Many of us desire greater success and more happiness in our lives. But if you desire to achieve something different than where you are right now, to go from being “super stuck” to a Superstar, then thinking is not enough. You must step out of your comfort zone and take action.
Change Requires Action – Time to Act!
It’s easy just to exist and go through the motions. But many of us know that we are capable of more, that we can play on a bigger stage. I have both witnessed in others and experienced myself, that a moment of transformation, a turning point, always precedes change. Something internal tells you that NOW is the moment to act on what you truly desire.
Perhaps you know what to do next, but your excuses prevent you from acting. Or maybe you feel that you need change, but don’t know what changes to make? Though it can be difficult, the only way to change this scenario is to act. That is the goal of EDGE Speakers – to offer you, the meeting professional, a new and easier way to provide new, fresh perspectives to your attendees and audiences.
We all procrastinate at one time or another, doing low-priority activities instead of the high-priority ones that will enhance our personal and professional success. Postponing doesn’t make it go away; it often just makes things worse. Schedule a specific time on your calendar and get started! Divide large tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and tackle the first step. Often you simply need to take that first step to gain momentum. Hot tip – do the hardest thing first in your day, everything else will be a breeze!
One Foot in Front of the Other
I know you are ready, and it’s time! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. I decided to start with something I enjoyed but had not done in 35 years – singing. I started by singing in the car, shower, and while I was exercising. I couldn’t see the path ahead of me, but I could see one or two steps ahead. I put my faith in those first steps because that is all I could do at the time. Anything more felt overwhelming. The key is to be 100% committed to taking that first step and then the next and the steps after that.
Be Flexible and Try
Once you’ve made the decision, put yourself on a path. That path may not be exactly right, but when you are committed to self-improvement, the next step will reveal itself. I liken it to learning a new song on my guitar. I don’t learn the entire song in one sitting; I learn it in stages. And even when I’ve learned it, there comes more practice, vocal tweaking, musical adjustments to make it my personal song, so that I can sing and play it the best way for me.
And if I get started and realize the song is just not for me, that’s okay! Flexibility is another key to change and staying in action.
Recently I spoke to a meeting professional who shared that her learning challenge was launching a new event for her company. She had postponed acting on this idea for years because she was afraid it wouldn’t succeed. Finally, she decided to try at least once. To her surprise, the event received raved reviews and she is now working on her second event. She is doing many things differently based on what she learned, BUT she felt that her first event was one of her most memorable professional and personal accomplishments. Her willingness to step outside her comfort zone and take a risk gave her attendees an unforgettable, life-changing experience. What she didn’t expect is that she gave herself that gift, too.
It’s often said that our biggest regrets in life are about what we didn’t try or do rather than what we did do that didn’t work out. It’s a decision to live a life that is more than just going through the motions – it’s a decision to step out of your comfort zone and Unleash Your Inner Superstar!