5 Lessons I Learned By Stepping Out Of My Comfort Zone On The Biggest Stage

“I’m continually trying to make choices that put me against my own comfort zone. As long as you’re uncomfortable, it means you’re growing.” – Ashton Kutcher

Just like Ashton Kutcher’s quote (he was also a wrestler by the way), I am a believer that being uncomfortable brings growth.

About a month ago, I was reminded of some important lessons. I’m a long-time folkstyle (what we see in high school and college wrestling) youth coach and masters competitor, but I traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the U.S. Open Masters Greco-Roman National Championships – the biggest wrestling tournament in the country.

In full transparency, I’d never learned or tried Greco-Roman (an Olympic style that is all upper-body attacks) until the last few months. My experience was undeniably humbling, but I placed third and managed and tick another goal off my “bucket list.”

Quick lessons I (re)learned:

-We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take.

-Old dogs really can learn new tricks.

-We don’t have to do it alone; true coaches are always there for us (I found several to practice with before going, and three were with me, him mat-side).

-Success doesn’t often come in big ways; small steps and incremental improvement is the goal

-Facing fears — in whatever form they present themselves — makes them less powerful the next time.

What have you done outside your comfort zone lately?