It’s so easy to stay in our comfort zones.
I can tell myself, “I’ll just send out this little email and hope that the right people read it and then my business will explode.”
Twiddles thumbs. Taps toes. Still waiting. Have you done the same?
You can keep on waiting, but others are pushing themselves more and will be heard more. More people will find them because they took big leaps.
It’s not easy to get out of our comfort zones. In fact, it’s freaking scary. But guess what, it’s scary for every single person on the planet. Our brains are wired to keep us safely doing what we’ve always done in hopes of protecting us. It’s instinct.
I know you want more and you do not want to get bored in your business. You want growth. You want reach. You want to continue to find that perfect person that needs you.
Which means you must do something different to get to something more.
AHHHH, I’m amping myself up just typing all of this.
Four years ago I commited fully to doing the Stretch Yourself challenge. And I NAILED it. The motivation I got from that 30 day group coaching challenge led me to continue to stretch out of my comfort zone. I didn’t stop with the challenges I completed that September. Each new challenge I completed and saw results from pushed me to grab another one and see how I could get the butterfies again by stepping across that line in the sand my mind had set about what I could accomplish.
Last three years, I was a HELL YES to blowing it out of the water again. AND I DID!
My Stretch Yourself Challenge commitments for 2020 were:
- Start a Facebook Group – Yes, I have done this. But this was a new partnership and we went in fully planned.
- Host a Facebook Live Series – THIS was my main focus. I created a FB Live series AND repurposed it. WOOHOO
- Make an Intentional Connection – Thanks to my podcast I’ve been getting a stream of new contacts, but I haven’t had to reach out to find them. I set out to create connections and the new friendships and biz aquaintances are awesome!
I had even better results. Video is no longer something that makes me cringe. Bring it on, make up or no make up lol I’m happy to share my words. I stopped feeling lame about asking for testimonials and happily ask for my clients and customers experiences. I SPOKE LIVE AT AN EVENT! Remember those? lol
Kelly adds new challenges each year and I’m eyeballing what I would like to tackle. Because I’ve done it multiple years, I’ve done almost all of them and sometimes the new ones aren’t fitting me and my biz. The great thing is you can grab any of the older ones and decide to push it. Just like I did with the FB Live series. I had done lives. I’d planned out lives…kinda. But I had never intentionally created a series knowing I was going to repurpose it. Pushing myself to use it in multiple ways was awesome!
So don’t go look at the list of items and think “oh, I’ve done all that.” You may have, but did you stretch yourself to make it amazing or just go through the motion?
What if you get out of your comfort zone and do things you have no idea you have in you?
What would it look like to step it up and dig more to push your business to the next level? The results of your efforts will be amazing, but you won’t know unless you try.
You can now sign up for the live challenge. No self-study necessary, jump in for all the training and conversation you can grab to push your biz to the next level.
Join the Stretch Yourself Challenge!
Biz Boldly,
Watch out #TeamBold because #TeamShine is gonna rock it again this time around 😉 and this team captain aint playing small or scared to step it up a notch this go round! Looking forward to some more fun banter and competitiveness amongst us 😉
Kidding aside, I’m focusing on the YouTube channel to for sure. Like you, I also started mine for last year’s challenge but guess what? Aside from that introduction video I’ve done nothing with it. I haven’t for sure decided what else I am going to focus on yet.
Ready for a fun rumble again this year!
I’m so glad that Kelly is making the choice, because there is no way I could choose between you two awesome ladies!!! I’m all signed up and ready to go this year – my first time!!
It’s so fun having it be luck of the draw. I can’t wait to see who I’m teamed up with. Less than a week!
You always crush the challenge Val and this year is no different. I love watching you stretch and take things to a new level. The world is better off today because you’ve been stepping up to accept the leadership you’re meant for!
I am blessed to have you in my corner continuing to push me to my potential.
I truly need to stop and look at where I was before SYC 2018. Then look at where I was last year before SYC. Then where I am now. I need to appreciate that a lot more than I do 🙂 It’s HUGE strides.
I’m so glad you are doing the SYChallenge again this year! Even though we’re on different teams (Go TEAM SHINE) – it was great fun to watch you succeed last year and extremely inspiring for those of us who were new! I love how active you are in the comment section and know your facebook group will grow and be awesome because of how you interact and support your peeps.
I’ve had fun watching your Facebook Lives – can’t wait for the next one. You Rock!!!
I come back to be a team leader because I’m absolutely TEAMFINISHER! But…go Team Bold tee-hee-hee
I love helping every one of you because we are stronger together. Thanks for following and engaging. I appreciate you.
Wooohoooo! Love stretching with you! This year is a year to really reach for our dreams. I love doing this with you. I also love being on YOUR team! #TeamBOLD!
There is such power in community. I love that not only do we have a month to do the things that we never really seem to get around to unless we are intentional to stretch ourselves OUT of the comfort zone, but we get to try things that we would have never tried without the feedback and ideas of others who have braved those steps. Thanks for taking us by the hand as we step out into those new areas. GO TEAM BOLD!
I love your purposeful approach to choosing your challenges, and how you’ve built on them from one year to the next. So much of what you say about comfort zones is so spot on – about it being scary to leave them. Of course when you stretch YOU, you’re also stretching your comfort zone, and they never go back to where they were before. You now have a bigger comfort zone!
Way to go, Val!!! I love how BOLD you are (wink, wink)?
I also love the way you continue to level up. You get better and better each year and I am so excited about the momentum you are creating in your community.
Val, you are an inspiration to others who are also working on the Stretch Yourself Challenge (like me). Your ongoing message to be bold, is certainly demonstrated in the actions you take to continue to grow personally and help others to stretch outside of their comfort zone. I like who YOU are, dammit!
Cindy, your enthusiasm is contagious and I can’t wait to see all that you get done this month!
Always have to look for something bigger to push ourselves. EEEK! Who knows what in the world that will be next year.
I was definitely more methodical this year. Which is much easier when I’ve completed almost all the challenges in years past. Then I can look at how to grab something and what would stretch me to complete it.
It’s fun to be in programs together and watch each other grow!
You are awesome Lynn. I’m looking forward to seeing all you accomplish this month and beyond!
Even though I will be a shining success from this year’s challenge 😉 I know I have taken many bold actions in my business and my personal life because I know you Val and see you leading. When we all step out of our comfort zones together, it’s not so scary, is it?! ?
Val, I’ve loved watching you rock each Stretch Yourself Challenge and how you take bold action to bust through the comfort zone and level up.
At the beginning of the post you said “You can keep on waiting, but others are pushing themselves more and will be heard more. More people will find them because they took big leaps” and that’s so true.
It reminded me of something a smart friend (Kelly – go figure lol) once said:
if not now, when?
if not you, then who?
Or something along those lines. It boils down to exactly what you said because if we’re not putting ourselves out there NOW someone else is.
Thank you so much for sending me the invite to the Stretch Yourself Challenge. I have accomplished so much in a very short time. Go #TeamBold
It’s so true. People need what we have to offer. If we don’t offer it and let them know, they will get it from someone else. Why not us? 🙂
It’s much less scary knowing we are all being scared together 🙂 Go TEAM BOLD! lol
I’m so glad you said yes and especially happy you ended up on my team. I’m looking forward to seeing how all this helps you through the 4th quarter to hit new goals.
Hey Val, It’s been amazing watching you over the past few years as you step up and stretch each year with the Stretch Yourself Challenge. This year has been no different as I see you boldly tackling the stretches you’ve picked out to complete.
Nice job on the post and keep kicking butt for the rest of September and then for the next year!!
“Video no longer makes me cringe!” I so hear ya on that one, Val! I also would never do video on calls, just audio. Last year’s SYC freed me/stretched me to feel comfortable on video — AND preparing me for the 2020 pandemic Zoom life 🙁
It’s been amazing watching you as you keep stretching during the year, living boldly. Shine on! LOL
Val, I love the energy and enthusiasm you bring to the challenge and I’m hoping we are once again on the winning team. I think it’s going to happen. Wishing you the best in completing all your challenges and I know you will. To your success now and beyond!
I hadn’t even thought of how hard it would have been this year with all the zoom if I hadn’t gotten over video. Yikes!
Keep stretching Anita, I’m looking forward to seeing you as Team FINISHER!
Thanks Melissa! I’m looking forward to seeing where the stretches lead to 🙂
We just have to keep getting stuff done and get every point we can. I really do want to see a big percentage of our team as Team Finisher. That would be amazing.
You sure are playing big! With your stretch experience in the past two years and nailing them all, I can tell this early that you’ll hit all of your targets for 2020.
I recall you telling me in your email not to play small and I’m taking that to heart. Thanks, Val! I appreciate that especially as you live it in your actions. 🙂
Right from the beginning it was like you were talking directly to me! I really appreciate your reminder about being intentional and purposeful with our goals and the steps needed to get to them.
Awesome to see you taking BIG LEAPS with the SYC challenge, Val. It was definitely a good excuse to finally break free from patterns of the same ol’ same ol’ and make strides in marketing our businesses. It’s all too easy to think and assume things but when pushed outside of our comfort zones, we learn to see that we truly do have it in us. Am looking forward to hearing how your goals go this round!
I’m so excited for what you are accomplishing this year already. You’re going to rock the last quarter!
I definitely haven’t done that much, but it felt like it fell into place this time!
Only 10 days left. ACK!
Hi Val,
I like the way you explained about if you keep waiting, others that are pushing themselves more will be heard more.
It is true what you said about the motivation you get from the group, that is what keeps me going too. The Triad I had was amazing and I learned a lot about myself and my business goals.
I like the way you have gone a little more in depth about video and FaceBook live. Those are super scary to me, but I pull my motivation to try because of folks like you that show it works if you work it.
Also, it is nice to know that the Stretch Yourself Challenge is available all year around at a discount and a do it at your own pace style.
That will help folks get a feel for and a base started for the next year’s live challenge.
Thank you Val!
Val,
I’m on your team and I was late to the party, but since joining last week I have participated and ringing up a few points.
So I am impressed with your goals. I wish you luck in successfully completing them. Starting a Facebook Group is one thing, but keeping it going and getting lots of members is another. The Live series should be interesting and I like how you are going to use it as evergreen content.
I will have to give your podcast a listen.
Thanks for being the Teambold leader. Go TEAM BOLD!
Make an Intentional Connection – Thanks to my podcast I’ve been getting a stream of new contacts, but I haven’t had to reach out to find them. I need to make a list and do some intentional connections.
I love how you mentioned being intentional, and how you are choosing challenges that build on each other – furthering your marketing efforts. I know your new partnership will thrive as a result of your focus from this challenge.
It is funny you said that about live videos. I did a 30 day live video challenge over a year ago and got pretty comfortable with “going live”, but now not so much. I’m back to being in that turtle shell. Maybe it is because my brand has changed and I’m not as 100% confident as I once became. Imposter Syndrome? Or maybe it is just “easier” to retreat back to comfortabling hiding like the introvert I am. Thanks for the encouragement! Go TEAM BOLD!
I’ve been super specific in my triads this go around and it’s been even more awesome! The more you do them the more benefit you will get.
Looking forward to see you as Team FINISHER on October 1st!
It’s all about being Team Finisher on October 1st. So if you do something and push yourself to do an amazing job with it then you win 🙂 Your business wins 🙂
Yes, keeping a group engaged is tough until it hits a certain point.
YES, partnering up has challenges of course with different personalities and even as good friends we still have different ways of seeing things. But it’s so awesome to not have to be every part 🙂
I find it encouraging that you didn’t stop working on challenges once September ended, “The motivation I got from that 30 day group coaching challenge led me to continue to stretch out of my comfort zone. I didn’t stop with the challenges I completed that September.” I’m impressed by those like you Val who come back year after year. It shows that participating in the SYC is beneficial and gets results.
Hell yeah, you are a crusher, a finisher a prolific team leader. I’m not sure how successful your business was before you took the challenges … but something is working right now. On August 5th, I signed up for your Facebook for braggable engagement guide (before I was aware of the challenge). And today I received an email, from someone else, that listed an offer from you and other contributors ($5 offerings).
I’m encouraged by your visibility to keep stretching myself.
Here’s to you living your vision.
By the way, I looked into my crystal ball and it said Team Bold is going to win. Shhh … don’t tell anyone
Yes, coming out of a comfort zone and stretching yourself to do new things is very courageous. You’ve been a blessing in my life and I’m so glad I’m on team bold. I’m sure your new partnership be thrive and be successful.
I wish you lots of luck as you move forward with your new ventures. GO TEAM #BOLD. We can make this a win. 🙂
It’s so awesome watching your grow, Val! I know I’ve only known you for a little while, but I have seen that growth. You are just awesomesauce!
I think the greatest part of this, aside from generally rocking it, is how you continued stretching and challenging yourself. Awesome point about getting comfortable with being uncomfortable!
You go girl! And look at you now, Team Leader! I love it! I would like to say, Go Team BOLD, but maybe I really want to say Go Team Shine… I can’t say yet! Regardless, you are rockin’ it!
So happy to know you!
Be Well.
Paul.
Val, you are an incredible inspiration to this content marketing newbie and first time stretcher! SO excited to be on your team! You are so encouraging and helpful. I think EVERYONE in business should try this challenge!
I feel very inspired by your post. This is well done. Congratulations!
I loved the title –“Stop Playing Small”. I would add an additional tagline.
Ex. “Stop Playing Small.. Launch Out of Your Comfort Zone”
I love this line… “Widdles thumbs. Taps toes. Still waiting.”
I am glad that video no longer makes you cringe. It is still a challenge for me.
I am so excited about your speaking engagement.
Best wishes with your three challenges. I am sure you will do well again and shine!
“You must do something different to get to something more.” You need to put that on a coffee mug! So true. It feels risky sometimes to talk about our experiences, for fear that others don’t see life the way we do. But when you find that there are others out there who do, or find that even if we don’t quite see the world the same we can reach some common listening and understanding, it really is magical. I have really enjoyed your podcast. I am glad that you keep on stretching!