Imagine a writer without a laptop, a pen or paper. Imagine a motivational speaker without an audience. Imagine a bodybuilder without a gym. I would be willing to guess that all of us in some way shape or form have/have had things in our lives that we are/were passionate about. If the past year has taught us anything it is that anything and everything can be taken away from us at any moment. That includes our life’s passions.
Passions are what keep most people motivated and eager to wake up in the morning. Passions are what make life worth living. However, what if I told you that before it was taken away, my greatest passion was holding me back from reaching my ultimate potential? You see the problem with our passions is that they become our comfort. And comfort is the ultimate block of growth. One of my favorite quotes by Neale Donald Walsh states, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” In my opinion, this couldn’t be more true.
The bottom line is that passion is a necessity in life. However, we cannot let one single passion limit or define us. For example, I am extremely passionate about fitness. It even got to a point where I would go to the gym 2 times a day for 7 days a week for 2 hours at a time. Doing the math that was 28 hours a week just spent in the gym! While my physical growth was at its peak, my mental growth was severely lacking therefore, my potential was being held back by my over-riding comfort.
Then came the 2020 Lockdown and all of a sudden my passion and comfort of going to the gym was taken away from me. I may be one of the only ones to say this but, “Thank God for Lockdown.” This created an uncomfortable situation for me. All of a sudden my passion was taken away and I was forced to react. This was my blessing in disguise. Despite the initial struggles and disappointment, I realized that this time away from the gym was my chance to step out of my comfort zone and improve my mental and creative abilities. I now realize that my potential goes well beyond fitness. And while fitness will always remain an important passion of mine, it no longer defines me as a person and the comfort of it no longer hinders me from reaching my potential.
So next time your comfort is swept from under your feet, just remember that it is your opportunity to grow. And don’t forget, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
Swiss-Army Leadership 