Mike Clark's Business Bites: What we most desire usually lies on the other side of our fears

A willingness to explore, trial, test, receive feedback and rework and reattempt new concepts is one of the characteristics of learning organisations. Photo / Freepix

OPINION:

We grow outside our comfort zone. The thing is - it is not comfortable outside our comfort zone! Learning to be comfortable with being uncomfortable is a life skill worth learning. People who go to the gym can often relate to this - a good session is one where you feel "absolutely smashed" and probably have doms (actual gym term meaning delayed onset of muscle soreness) for the next couple of days.

What scary and/or uncomfortable project are you tackling right now? When was the last time you did something outside your comfort zone? I love learning and stretching myself and, for the most part, I strive to ensure I am challenging myself in some area of my life. This can be eating, fitness, learning, and new projects, to name a few.

We are often hampered by a series of steps and hurdles on the way to success. The reality is that anything worth having initially requires effort. When we venture towards a goal, fear often is the first to show up. The fear of the unknown, looking stupid, and failing publicly is the first roadblock for many.

I used to have a fear of failure. I reasoned that if I never started I could not fail. All this did was dramatically increase the time pressure (usually as the deadline was whistling by), make me rush, and therefore not do as well as I could, creating a self-fulfilling prophecy of doubt and sabotage. My internal dialogue was not healthy. I saw a lovely quote that unlocked my confidence - "I never fail. I either win or I learn"! This is often expressed as a question: "What would you do if you knew you could never fail?"

Inside organisations, the approach and attitude you have towards mistakes are inevitably reflected in your culture. One of the most adventurous teams I work with refers to mistakes as "learning opportunities". How does your team react to things going wrong? How easily does your team discuss new ideas and possibilities? How often do they attempt to implement new ideas, and trial concepts a little left-field?

This propensity to be willing to explore, trial, test, receive feedback and rework and reattempt new concepts is one of the characteristics of learning organisations.

Earlier this year I did a week-long course on high-performance coaching. I was surprised at how much it stretched me and challenged a lot of my standard approaches to training and learning. As with many of the challenges we undertake, it is easy to look back on it now with the wisdom of hindsight and see the path, strategies and benefits.

I am now embarking on a dream project to write a book. While I have done hundreds of articles and blogs, written e-books, and dozens of courses, I have long dreamed of writing a book. It is incredible to observe within oneself the familiar feelings of venturing into the unknown returning. The feelings, doubts and concerns are all familiar and yet manage to present with intensity and fickleness like dancing shadows on a moonlit light.

What we most desire usually lies on the other side of our fears. This applies to teams and individuals. Make it safe for your team to traverse the perils of discovering something new, equip them on their learning journey, and give the positive feedback they need to lead themselves and their teams to success.

Mike Clark is director and lead trainer and facilitator at Think Right business training company.