When I was 13 I read Mike Lupica’s Summer Ball cover to cover in less than four hours, and then I read it again. This is something that has been a trend in my life. When I find something enjoyable I fully immerse myself in it and ignore everything else around me.
I’ll reread books because it’s safe. Every time I pick up a book I’ve read previously I’ll gain a new insight that I didn’t catch the first time. While valuable, it doesn’t exactly push me.
Nobody likes stepping out of their comfort zone, and personally, it makes me feel stupid or awkward, because it presents challenges that I’m not used to dealing with and my lizard brain hates change. I love to bury myself in the things I’m good at and forget the rest of the world around me.
It’s hard to improve with that mindset. There’s always something new and better on the horizon, just out of reach. All I have to do is take the first step.
That’s something I’ve challenged myself to get over these last two months, by learning a new skill every week as part of the Praxis program.
I’ve been told many times that I’ll be great in the business world.
I play well with others, I know what they expect and can deliver, and I have the integrity to do what needs to be done, especially when no one is looking. I’ve always kept my head down and done the best I could. That’s what I felt was expected of me, so that’s what I did. Apparently, people find that kind of reliability very valuable, knowing that I will have that task done, and done well.
Projecting confidence, especially when I feel completely out of my league, is another skill I’ve developed. “Fake it ’til you make it,” they say. Well, I’ll keep trying until I do.
So I look towards the future with uncertainty, but I know that I will be able to do what is required and more. I have all the ability in the world at my fingertips and just need to channel it in the right direction.