I want to start by acknowledging that personal growth is not an easy or comfortable process. I love the simple graphic below showing the difference between your comfort zone and where the magic happens.

The “magic” referred to in the graphic above is of personal growth and improvement; it is the place where you get better. So, to improve, you must step outside your comfort zone. This, like most things in life, is easier said than done! This is where your mindset comes into play. Although stepping outside your comfort zone will help you improve, it also opens you up to failure. Failure is scary… you didn’t reach your goal, your idea did not play out as expected, you think people will base all future opinions of you off of this mistake… and with the wrong mindset, failure, can cause large setbacks or keep us stagnant in our personal growth. These fears keep us complacent. We accept the comfort and mediocrity of where we are, instead of the greatness of where we could be, based on this fear of failure. This year I am going to try and push the limits of my comfort level by continually forcing myself to take risks even if that means failure and setbacks. I know to grow, I must take risks and open myself up to the chance of failing, not reaching a goal, or having to reevaluate the choices I have made. If I am not willing to put myself in a new situation where failure could be an option, I will never put myself in a setting where I can achieve great things. Greatness does not, nor will it ever, come from staying in my comfort zone. Although this challenge has the great potential to be uncomfortable and even unpleasant at times, if I keep the right mindset, learn from my shortcomings and setbacks, and stay positive, I am sure it will help me to achieve a larger number of great things this year. I hope to make the magic happen!