Life means risk. People who sabotage themselves shouldn't worry about failure as much as they should be concerned about the chances they miss when they don't even try. Speech writer Charles Parnell observed, "Too many people are having what might be called 'near-life experiences.' They go through life bunting, so afraid of failure that they never try to win the big prizes, never knowing the thrill of hitting a home run or even taking a swing at one.

You are out of your comfort zone: Growth requires risk. Ronald E. Osborne stated, "Unless you do something beyond what you've already mastered, you will never grow.

Those who fly always first get out on the edge. If you want to seize an opportunity, you must take a risk. If you want to grow, you must make mistakes. If you want to reach your potential, you will have to take chances. If you don't, you will be resigned to a life of mediocrity. The people who don't make mistakes end up working for those who do. And in the end, they often end up regretting the safe life they lived. —

What about unfulfilled potential? That phrase is as negative as the word potential is positive. My friend Florence

A person without discipline is in a prison without bars.

Leaders who are effective are leaders who are disciplined in their daily lives.

By talking other people out of their dreams, critical people excuse themselves for staying in their comfort zones.

Effective leaders who reach their potential spend more time focusing on what they do well than on what they do wrong. To be successful, focus on your strengths and develop them. That's where you should pour your time, energy, and resources.

In order to do anything new in life, we must be willing to leave our comfort zone. That involves taking risks, which can be frightening. However, each time we leave our comfort zone and conquer new territory, it not only expands our comfort zone but also enlarges us. If you want to grow as a leader, be prepared to be uncomfortable. But know this: the risks are well worth the rewards.

Most people produce only when they feel like it. Leaders produce even when they don't feel like it.

Improving your abilities in high-priority areas is always a good investment in yourself that will pay off in the long run.

People need to see your conviction.