What makes you uncomfortable? Perhaps it’s cold calling or speaking in front of a group. Maybe you find it hard to talk with strangers at networking events, or you don’t like to write, or … whatever. If you never venture out of your comfort zone, you’re missing lots of opportunities to get new customers.
This week, try challenging yourself to do something uncomfortable. Seek a leadership position in your professional organization. Follow up on a sales lead you uncovered.
The first few times you do something new, it may not feel right to you. It might even be terrifying! Have you ever gone skiing? Your first trip down the Bunny Hill was probably a little scary, and you felt out of control. But when you survived, you did it again. And again. After a while, it was actually fun.
The problem is that too often we don’t try a second or third time (or even a first!) with marketing activities which seem difficult. I was terrified the first time I gave a speech. But I got up and did it anyway. You can, too.
I’ll confess that I chose to give my first speech in front of a roomful of people I was never going to see again, just in case I was really awful. Well, I wasn’t very good, but I wasn’t really awful, either. I lived to speak another day, and I got better. Now, I have given so many speeches, presentations, seminars, etc., that I don’t even get butterflies before getting up to talk to a crowd. Practice makes better, if not perfect.
Take small steps, and reward yourself for the attempt, even if your first attempts aren’t successful. Making ten calls is an accomplishment, even if you haven’t gotten any appointments yet. Reward yourself with a treat, then get back on the phones tomorrow.
Be realistic. Don’t expect that you will get an appointment every time you make a cold call. Don’t expect that your first press release will get you on the cover of Time Magazine. Each marketing activity plants seeds for successes. Some sprout and bear fruit quickly, but others will take time—weeks, months or even years.
Imagine the worst thing that could happen if you do what you fear. Will you be run out of town? Will your family disown you? Will your career or business lie in ruins? Chances are the worst possible result is that you won’t do as well as you’d like, and you might feel a little embarrassed. That’s not fun, but it’s not the end of the world.
Then, think of the good things that can happen. Imagine getting that appointment and making the sale. Imagine people calling, seemingly out of the blue, because they heard about you through the marketing “seeds” you planted. Imagine having the business and success that you’ve always wanted.
Now, go out there and get a little uncomfortable to help it along!
9 responses so far ↓
1 Anne // Jun 23, 2009 at 7:42 am
Cathy,
Where ever do you find the whacky and wonderful photos that you use with your posts? Your choice of images is as good as your choice of topics. Keep it up!
Anne
2 Cathy Stucker // Jun 23, 2009 at 8:46 am
Thanks, Anne. I have several “secret” sources for photos–I may have to do a post about finding photos and spill the beans. ;o) Mostly I use a few clip art photo collections and a couple of online sources.
Glad you are enjoying the blog!
3 Mary@Everyday Baby Steps // Jun 24, 2009 at 4:53 am
Such great points, Cathy. I just talked about overcoming fear for moms on my MomTV show, Everyday Answers. I’ve always gotten something positive from stepping out of my comfort zone. Or even leaping out!
4 Jeannette Paladino // Jun 24, 2009 at 8:13 am
Y0ur post about doing something uncomfortable could have been written about me. I created my new blog/website (with a lot of help from Bea Fields’ Blogging Maniac course). Content management is not the piece of cake everyone makes it out to be if you’re not a techie, which I’m decidedly not. But — it’s been one of the most energizing projects I’ve ever undertaken. I’m in the social media game now and I love this whole new world. Thanks for the tip about nofollow/dofollow
5 Paula G // Jun 25, 2009 at 1:25 pm
I once heard this called creating a “new normal”. Can’t recall if it was Robin Sharma or Michael Neil who said it — but if you can think of what you are comfortable with now (“normal”) and then you stretch… a little bit at a time. Then it becomes second nature because you’ve gotten better at it, integrated it into your life/skillset. Suddenly that is a new normal…and this is how we grow and expand.
Like the points you make!
6 Casey // Jun 25, 2009 at 10:56 pm
Why we don’t do things uncomfortable is because of fear. Some people would rather live with their fear than to have success.
I agree with your article.
7 Cathy Stucker // Jun 26, 2009 at 6:09 am
All good points–thanks for sharing, Mary, Jeannette, Paula and Casey.
Casey, sometimes what people fear is that they will become successful. Any change can be scary.
8 Maxine B. Cunningham // Aug 27, 2009 at 7:23 pm
How fortuitous that I stumbled upon this article today. Recently, I decided to write an ebook. I have much of the content already, but it was not until this week I that “received” the title: “Walking Outside My Comfort Zone”. Thanks for the confirmation.
9 Sales 2.0 Conference in Chicago – September 10th // Sep 16, 2009 at 8:28 am
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