The first day ...

This morning I have a meeting that could take me out of my comfort zone. I have been directing my skills one way for a very long time, and today could lead to a new direction. It would be a scary prospect if I wasn't armed with the late Peter McWilliams' writings about days like this.

In Do It! Let's Get Off Our Buts, John-Roger and Peter McWilliams write about how the energy generated by the fear of stepping outside our comfort zone can be harnessed. Growth always occurs outside this zone - that's why it's uncomfortable.

The book is peppered with quotes relevant to the subject. In dealing with the comfort zone, the authors cite Dr. Rob Gilbert - "It's all right to have butterflies in your stomach. Just get them to fly in formation" - and Eleanor Roosevelt - "You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, 'I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.' You must do the thing you think you cannot do."

Today is no horror. It's an exploratory meeting with an old acquaintance I would like to make a friend. I expect it might even be fun. He's had great success in his field by forming his own company. I may end up working for him or for myself, or the visit may remind me what a good deal I have now. What's to be nervous about? It's not like "this is the first day of the rest of my life" - every day is.

Wish me luck.