We can learn a big lesson as leaders, entrepreneurs, and managers from these words of Eleanor Roosevelt: “Do one thing that scares you every day.”
Being a leader is sometimes frightening. There’s often something out of control–out of your scope, out of your realm. If you’re constantly fighting these things, you can’t change. You’re not only fighting a losing battle, you’re also subverting your own growth.
But by taking on the challenge of doing one thing that scares you every day, you can create opportunities and reach new achievements.
We’re all afraid of something–the challenge is to try one thing every day that scares you.
Start small and become more daring. By taking small risks on a daily basis, you will notice that every time you do something that scares you, you diminish your fear a little bit.
Take the challenge, and for the next 30 days, commit to doing things that scare you. You can use these examples, or make up your own:
Today I made a tough decision when it came to __________.
Today I dared to ________.
Today I achieved mastery when ______.
Today I dared to fail in ____________.
Today I took a chance on __________.
Today I mastered ___________.
Today I said no to ___________.
Today I stopping avoiding _______________.
Today I accepted a compliment when _________.
Today I asked for help from ______________.
Today I stopped doing ______________.
Today I let go of ________________.
Today I got rid of ________________.
Today I acknowledged that ______________.
Today I showed courage when ___________.
Today I surrendered to ________________.
Today I took a chance on _________________.
Today I reached out to____________________.
Today I dared to confront ______________.
Today I took a risk in_____________________.
Today I said goodbye to __________________.
Today I challenged myself to _______!
Today I did the hardest thing for me when I _________________.
Today I did something worth doing: __________!
Today I traveled to _______.
Today I was bold when ________.
Today I resisted fear by ___________.
Today I took a leap when ________.
Today I had the courage to ________.
Today I said yes to__________.
Let’s start a movement of challenging ourselves to challenge our fears.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
THE LEADERSHIP GAP
What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.