Do one thing every day that stretches you

We’ve all heard the line “Do one thing every day that scares you,” or we’ve read it on a Lululemon product bag. But why would we want to do something every day that scares us? Petting an angry dog scares me, so why would I want to do it? Sounds pretty negative to me and not very motivating.

I believe in the benefits of expanding our worldview and understanding of our selves, so I like to do something every day that stretches me.  I recognize that great success and happiness are only possible when we’re willing to take a little risk. Stretching ourselves outside of our comfort zone is a conscious activity that calls for courage and vigilance. And sometimes the only way we can find that strength is to take it one step at a time.

Try to remember the last time you resisted, avoided or delayed doing an activity that made you feel uneasy or uncomfortable. What made you feel uncomfortable?

Now spend some time visualizing yourself actually doing whatever it was that you resisted, avoided or delayed. Create a vivid picture of yourself being fearless throughout the activity. You’ve done this 100 times before; it’s completely comfortable. Doing one thing every day that stretches us means that we’re going to learn something, and have a deeper appreciation of our true selves and abilities. And for an entrepreneur, this can only mean a more rewarding and enriching small business experience.