Humans, however, tend to not be happy unless we are constantly growing and expanding our thoughts. Some people say the only way to push your boundaries is to do stuff that scares you. I disagree.
That may be because I have a phobia about falling. It is nearly impossible to get me to cross a bridge if I can see over the edge. Glass-walled elevators terrify me; sometimes even if I am only going one floor. I am positively petrified to take an elevator higher than the fourth floor of any building.
Now I can make an effort to do these tasks so often that my phobia may begin to fade however, the sense of panic that I have in those situations is so overwhelming why would I continue to visit and revisit that over and over again? How will that contribute to my happiness?
I am actually planning to get treated by a friend of mine who is a hypnotist to try to alleviate my anxiety when I am in these situations. I do not know if it will work, but it sure seems a lot more sensible than constantly terrifying myself.
What type of boundaries can you push? Perhaps there is a management position available at your company that you do not think you are quite ready for. Go ahead and apply. Even if you are truly not ready at this point and you are not offered the position, simply throwing your hat in the ring and going through the process will teach you skills that you will be able to use when you are ready for that position.
Perhaps you dream of someday supporting yourself as an artist. Start taking some training on how to run a business even if the very thought of that makes you a little sick to your stomach. You will never be able to support yourself as an artist if you do not treat it like a business, so push your boundaries now so you can start down that path.
Pushing your boundaries may be as simple as being a little bit unrealistic when creating your realistic S.M.A.R.T. goals. Perhaps when you are reviewing your data from the last year and making your revenue projections for the next year you can tack on an extra 10 percent. You can then create a plan to raise that extra revenue. You would be surprised at how many tasks you can accomplish if you simply decide to do them.
Pushing your boundaries increases your confidence by helping you overcome some of your minor fears. Remember it is okay to ask for help to overcome fears that are not so minor.
Until next time…
Have a great day,
Susanne
Click here to get help developing or implementing your strategic plan.