What Are You So Afraid Of?

As the last few minutes of daylight were fading away, a thick blanket of fog quickly started to roll in.

There I was, sitting 25 feet above the snow-capped mountain with only one thought in my mind:

"What the hell did I get myself into?"

Now for an avid skier, this might have been shaping up to be their dream run. The excitement, the nerves, the suspense, the anticipation.

But for a rookie skier like me, I was feeling all those things and a lot more. And it didn’t start to hit me until the lift came to a screeching halt no more than a couple hundred feet from the top of the slope.

Are you serious right now?

I just wanted to reach the top of the mountain and get this whole thing over with already. Because the longer we sat there looking down at the fog-covered mountain – barely able to make out the shadowy figures racing down the slope – the more nervous I was getting by the minute.

I looked over at my best friend after what felt like an eternity sitting there. We were both visibly scared.

“Dude, I’m pretty scared,” he admitted.

Well, glad I wasn't the only one.

But for as much as I regretted my decision in that moment. Making the long trek up that mountain, agreeing to traverse my way down the steep and scary-looking slope... a part of me was glad I did.

Why?

Because first of all, I think if I stood and watched from the sidelines, I would have ended up regretting not at least giving it a shot. A few days later, I probably would have looked back on that ski trip and wished I had gone up that slope, no matter how scared I was in the moment.

But more importantly, as we were sitting there on that chair lift, suspended above the mountain and nervously staring ahead into the foggy abyss, there was one quote that came to mind that I just couldn’t seem to shake:

Do one thing every day that scares you.

You’ve heard it before. I’ve heard it before. We’ve all heard it before.

Is it cliché? Yeah, probably. But honestly, that quote was the one thing that helped calm me down when my nerves were trying their hardest to get the best of me.

For as scared and nervous and anxious as I felt in that moment, repeating that quote over and over again in my head made me feel… oddly enough, at peace.

Now don’t get me wrong, I was still pretty scared. Terrified even.

But with that quote at the top of my mind, it was my reminder that I had the strength and courage to keep going, keep pushing, and face my fears head on instead of running from them.

And face them I did.

Sure, I bailed out more times than I’d like to admit (don’t worry mom, I’m okay!). But on that last run of the day, I made it down.

But not only that. I found out what I was made of. I found out that I’m capable of way more than I think, and I didn’t let my fears get the best of me.

And at the end of the day, that’s what matters most to me.

Look, a few weeks ago I made the decision that 2023 is going to be the best year of my life. I already made the decision that this year, I’m going to conquer my fears and start living for me (check out this video to see what I mean).

We’re only a week into the new year and I’ve already conquered a fear I didn’t even know I had.

I now have the energy, motivation, and (most importantly) the confidence to face even more of my fears this year. I’m determined to make this the best year of my life, and nothing is going to get in my way of turning that into a reality.

So why am I telling you this? What exactly is the lesson in all of this?

It’s that (as cheesy and cliché as it sounds) if you’re able to do one thing every single day – something that scares you, gets you out of your comfort zone, and forces you to embrace the unknown – your life will completely change for the better.

You’ll gain the confidence to do even more and improve in other areas of your life that will get you to where you want to go.

All it takes is a few seconds of insane courage to take that first step.

Because if you’re able to find that courage within you, if you're able to face your fears and step out of your comfort zone, 2023 will be the best year of your life.

Be brave enough to do the things you thought you couldn't... and see where that takes you.

2023 is going to be the best year of our lives. At this point, we're just waiting for time to catch up. ⏳

Never stop dreaming,

Connor

This Week’s Content 📝

Latest Blog Article: How to Achieve Your Goals in 2023 to Make It the Best Year of Your Life

If you’re like most people, a new year means setting new goals for the next 12 months. But while most people give up on their resolutions shortly after the year starts, if you have the right plan in place it’s nearly impossible to fail. Learn how you can achieve your goals this year to make 2023 the best year of your life.

This Week’s Quote 🗯

This Week’s Question ❓

What’s one fear you want to overcome in 2023?

Feel free to reply to this email, I’d love to hear your response!