So, say you’ve found a passion. Or, say you get the occasional tap on the shoulder when exposed to a possibility that excites you. I know people who haven’t a clue what they want to do with their lives and those who are obsessed with their calling, but somewhere in between lies the fearful.

I know that place of fear. It lies at the corner of “What If” and “Not Good Enough,” and the traffic is horrendous. I suggest you take another route and head down “Why the Hell Not” sideroad.

 

Think about it. If you really have a nagging desire to do something, whatever that something may be, why the hell not do it? Is there a possibility of failure? Sure there is, but there’s also a possibility of success. And besides, as the late Arthur Ashe so aptly put it, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” It’s true. Just doing what you love is a joy in and of itself, so why the hell not?

As for not being good enough. By whose standards? Every one of us is unique and different, and we all express our talents in unique and different ways, so don’t let someone else’s opinion of your dream stand in the way of moving toward it.

There are going to be a lot of people who want you to stick to something safe – something secure. Yes, they’re simply concerned individuals for the most part, but I also think sometimes that folks get rattled by those who step out of their comfort zone. If you can do it, that means they can do it, and it’s easier if everyone just sticks to the status quo. Go ahead and rattle them, I say. Besides, you have  to remember that all of those people that you’re afraid will judge you will all be gone someday. You will too. Years from now, nobody’s going to remember or care that we even existed let alone that we let someone else’s opinion ruin our stay, so why the hell not?

And, speaking of time… don’t let that hold you back either. I hear people all the time saying things like, “But it would take me months to get in shape to run a marathon,” or “It would take over a year to get a book written,” or “My degree would take four years to complete.” Well, those months and years are going to pass anyway, and where are you going to be at the end of them if you don’t do it? Exactly where you are right now, so why the hell not?

Stepping out of a comfort zone can be a really scary thing – I get it – but next time you feel yourself faltering, just whisper “Why the hell not,” and keep going. Each time you do, your boundaries get pushed back a little further and become a little thinner until, eventually, pushing becomes almost effortless.