I was recently appointed to VP of Education for my local toastmaster club of which if you aren’t participating in a toastmasters group, I highly encourage it. Unknowingly I found out it is my responsibility to make sure all the roles are in place for each meeting. Because the assigned toastmaster was unable to attend, I sent out an email giving everyone an opportunity to volunteer to be this week’s toastmaster and low and behold, no one responded with an affirmative. I’m happy to take on any role when an opening presents itself.
How willing are you to jump out of your comfort zone?
Now, you may find this to be no surprise, but I did. Why? Because, the mission of a toastmaster club ends with “… self-confidence and personal growth”. By definition, that would mean members are inclined to regularly accept these types of roles. Yes, it’s fun to sit back and watch what’s going on like you’re at a movie, play or a baseball game. But I challenge you to play the game called life, your life. Are you living life or watching it pass by? You won’t gain anything near what you will if you play, and that goes for everything you do. Even down to the opportunity to pick up a piece of trash or turn off those hotel lights before you go.
So I say volunteer for that position you know very little about like Girl or Boy Scout leader, or be active in your community in some way. Help out a political objective you can stand behind. I did and it was great when we won. Take one day a year to do community service.
If you’re really going to move past your current limitations, then you’ll need to do something that scares the heck out of you or something that you don’t want to do. If your choice is the latter, you’ll have to be real with yourself because it could be something that isn’t really a stretch for you. For example, you may hate doing anything that might be considered as dirty work, which doing won’t really move you out of your comfort zone (or maybe does). Just be honest with yourself if you’re stretching yourself or not. As long as you are learning, you are growing.
We are miracles and the world we live in is a miracle. We owe it to ourselves to live our lives as fully as we can. That means having as many unique and wonderful experiences as we can. Every time you do something that is worthy of doing can be a new experience because life has so many variables that can be tweaked. For example, going to the lake with your child will be different every time you do it. Therefore saying I’ve already done that as though doing it again would be a waste of time or of little interest to you really needs more critical thinking to determine if what you originally thought is really valid.
Jim Rohn, one of my mentors said, “Work harder on yourself than you do on your job” and when you volunteer to do something, you’re growing, learning and working on yourself. The best way to grow and develop yourself is to utilize self improvement tools that are available to you (but you already knew that). And remember what Mark Twain said, “Do the thing you fear the most and the death of fear is certain.” Go out there every day and live your life so you can look upon your life with happiness and peace.
Have a great week,
Kevin
Believe Yourself To Success Because Belief Equals Possibility
Things School Never Taught Us On How To Live Our Best Life
