Dare Yourself to Face Tough Situations

We’re nearly seven months into this pandemic, and many of us are still grappling with assembling some version of the “new normal.” Many of us have had to make tough decisions and carve new paths forward. However, some of us are still frozen in place, waiting for things to go back to the way they always were or are avoiding taking that uncertain first step forward.

You may be stewing over whether to find a new job with more flexibility or quitting your job altogether to stay home to assist the kids with virtual learning. Or maybe it’s the prospect of launching a new business or a new product line that has you frozen in place. In any case, the time spent circling the worry drain is energy expended … energy wasted.

What if, instead, you spent that energy envisioning how brilliant it could be on the other side? What if you spent the time imagining a positive future beyond the difficulty that’s coming?

Here’s something it took me some time to learn: facing hard choices always takes less energy than avoiding, hiding from, or delaying them. Our greatest challenge is always overcoming our own resistance.

That resistance often comes in the form of a pain shift: when the pain of the status quo finally outstrips the fear of the change itself – when the status quo becomes unacceptable – that’s when meaningful, lasting change occurs. 

Here’s what I know for certain: the things you avoid in life drain you more than those you face. In fact, it’s the things you dare to face in life that actually end up fueling you.

What do you dare attempt?

David Taylor-Klaus is the author of the book Mindset Mondays with DTK: 52 Ways to REWIRE Your Thinking and Transform Your Life, and the founder of DTK Coaching where he reintroduces successful entrepreneurs and senior executives to their families. A serial entrepreneur, David is recognized for combining candor, intelligence, and humor with masterful coaching. He challenges leaders and their teams to reach their highest performance levels in their personal and professional lives.