What If You Asked for Challenges?

What is your typical reaction when a challenge occurs?

When there is a problem, a roadblock, a setback, a hurdle you have to jump...what is your usual response?

Do you put your head in the sand and ignore it? (Problems don't go away because you do this.)

Do you see it as a big inconvenience? (Followed by rolling your eyes.)

Do you do the Toyota jump for joy? (You have to be at least 45 years old to get that one.)

The word challenge stems from the word accusation or accuse. When a challenge arises it's like the universe is accusing you of not having the ability to deal with it. If it were easy - you wouldn't be calling it a challenge.

A challenge is just a test of your abilities.

When you successfully complete the challenge you then have the ability to deal with that challenge again. It becomes part of your toolbox.

What would happen if you got excited when problems arise? It's an opportunity to expand your abilities. 

Regardless of it's current size, we all have a comfort zone. Inside that comfort zone...we know what to do and how to handle things. A challenge is not inside your comfort zone.

Challenges/problems/hurdles come up outside your comfort zone. When you successfully handle that challenge your comfort zone expands. Now it's bigger. Yet another challenge arises outside your comfort zone, you handle it, and your comfort zone grows even bigger.

Challenges are comfort zone expanders.

Have you ever known anyone who is able to handle things like clockwork? It seems nothing bothers them? Their job has a lot of responsibility and they shoulder it well? That person has dealt with a lot of challenges. His or her skill set grew as she had things she had to deal with. She wouldn't be as competent at her job had she not had all those challenges to come her way.

Here's the cool thing: Challenges are never going to go away. There will always be a never-ending supply of them no matter how big your current comfort zone.

That's what allows us to grow, become more, be capable of more, and better serve others. That's what allows you to rise to the top.

What if next time there was a challenge or problem, you chose to get excited about it? What would be possible for you?

The more you tackle, the more you can tackle.

If you want to dive more into the subject of dealing with challenges and/or executive presence I have a free training for you: The 5 Shifts to Advance Your Executive Presence and Rise to the Top. Get it HERE.