Stretching into something new can be spooky. 👻 🦇

The unknown hovers around you like a fog, blocking your view of what lies ahead.

To move forward is to court uncertainty.

You’ve reached the edge of your map – the one that contains everything you know.

Your amygdala lets out a muffled scream. It’s afraid, but it knows as you do, that the only way forward is through.

Your heart flutters about, like a cloud of bats racing through the sky, but you know what it is you seek – the goal, the vision, the future you’re building.

It’s there, clear as day, in your mind’s eye, sharp as a knife.

All you have to do is take your first nervous steps onto the crooked road.

Courage calls from within, bright, like a full moon, illuminating your path.

Facing your fears, you leap forward, deciding to view these omens not as a sign to stop, but as a sign to stretch.

Avoidance is a common first obstacle when stretching your comfort zone, but once you move past it, the next trick is building momentum.

Your first attempts might be rightfully small. Every step forward stretches our comfort zone just a little bit more. That’s good!

But if every step is small or too easy, what are you really going to learn?

In order to achieve your most ambitious goals, you may need to push yourself to do something more challenging – something a little more uncertain, something a bit spookier.

We learn and grow the most when we find a healthy stretch, just beyond the edge of our comfort zone.

Not so far that we’re overwhelmed, but far enough that we can feel the heat.

Find the tension between an action that’s achievable and an action that stretches you.

Yes, take those brave first steps. Then, remember, to keep the bravery going.

So, if you’re ready to move forward in defiance of fear, what would it look like to raise the bar?

Happy Halloween 🎃

Take a moment to pause & reflect. If you were to raise the bar, what would it look like?

Actions, experiments, & things to try next. Think about your goals and make a list of the actions you could take to start. Then, put them in order from easy to more challenging. Now, consider this: What’s the biggest, boldest thing you could do? What’s the smallest step you could take? What’s something in between those two that’s achievable AND stretches your comfort zone?

📫 If this sparked an idea, or if you’re feeling stuck, I’d love to hear from you. You can reply directly to this email to share what you’re working on, ask a question, or suggest topics you’d like me to cover in future newsletters. I read every response.

Until next time,

Michael

Michael Schefman | 321 Liftoff​

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