Is Your Mind Making You Play Small?

I started running again. I was inspired by someone I know who has lost over 100 lbs to get back to running. My mind had me convinced to play small with my excuse of aching joints, but if someone who is 100+ lbs overweight can overcome this problem, so can I. 

During my third week back at it, I ventured out extra early and was running down the road from where we are staying this summer in Ellijay, not really paying attention until I saw something move. 

It was a slight move, a step out of place in my peripheral vision, that stopped me in my tracks. There in front of me, less than 100 feet away, were two of the largest black bears I have ever seen in my life, and one of them had just taken a step towards me. 

I am afraid of bears. I’ve asked lots of people what you should do when you see a bear, and everyone says to get big and not run. 

I felt rather small and terrified in the presence of these two magical creatures, and the thought of “getting big” was terrifying to me. 

Instead, I stopped, slowly turned around, and walked back towards home. My heart rate was higher than any exercise I’ve ever done. I used my phone’s camera to watch behind me to ensure nothing was following me. After I felt relatively safe, I turned and saw one of the bears walking away. 

My biggest fear had been confronted (or avoided), but now what?

I decided to finish my run inside the house that day, but what about the next morning? Was I brave enough to go back out there, or would I let this one encounter stop me?

The same thing happens in your business, too. You come up against something that scares you or feels uncomfortable, and even though it’s not life-threatening, you retreat. 

Your mind tells you to retreat to where it is safe, and most of the time, you listen. 

What if, though, instead, you asked yourself, “What would I do if I wasn’t afraid?” And then did that instead? What outcomes might you experience instead? 

At the time of writing this, it’s been five days since I saw the bears. Every single morning, I’ve gone back out there and walked or ran. 

I’ve adjusted my vision to look further out and be more aware so I am safe. I’m making more noise, and I’ll admit to researching more about encountering bears in the wild, so I am better prepared if this happens again. I refuse to let my fear stop me from the joy this morning activity brings me. 

The next time your mind convinces you to play small, ask yourself if what you’re avoiding is life-threatening or ego bruising. Choose to do the brave thing. 

Speaking of bravery, a long-term client of mine, Michelle Weger, just released a new book called Don’t Snooze Your Dreams. Michelle has narcolepsy, the perfect excuse to play small and sleep the days away. Instead, she chooses to be brave and do hard things every day. 

If you’re looking for some motivation to keep your dreams alive and do hard things, I highly recommend you check out her book. I wrote the foreword, and you might learn something new and personal about me (a thing I could use as an excuse, too).