Just Because You Can Doesn’t Mean You Need To: How Staying in Your Comfort Zone Limits Your Potential
There’s a sneaky way we hold ourselves back without even realizing it: by sticking to what we can do instead of what we truly want to do. It’s easy to keep doing what’s familiar, what’s safe. After all, it works. But if you feel that pull—that whisper in the back of your mind telling you there’s something more—you’re limiting yourself.
The Problem: Playing It Safe at the Expense of Fulfillment
A client recently opened up about a struggle many business owners face—the tension between what feels safe and what feels true. She built something solid alongside a trusted partner, but now she’s feeling the pull to bring more of herself into her work. The fear? That embracing this deeper part of her identity might create distance, that the space she’s in may not be the right fit, or that her audience won’t connect with this new direction.
Fear-Based Decision-Making Keeps You Stuck
I recognize this because I’ve been there myself. I can do a lot of things in the branding and marketing world. I’m good at it. But is it my life’s work? No. However, when I coach coaches—when I help them step fully into their purpose—I feel alive. That feeling is my North Star. That’s the work I’m meant to do.
But stepping into that truth wasn’t easy. Because even when we know what we’re meant for, fear gets in the way.
We tell ourselves stories: People will think it’s weird. No one will pay for this. This isn’t what I originally built. These fears feel real, but when we step back, we realize they’re just narratives—not facts.
The Cycle of Misalignment
And when we let those fears dictate our choices, we stay stuck.
If you believe that money is energy, then every time you take on a client who isn’t truly aligned with your purpose, you reinforce the cycle. You attract more of the same. You start to believe that feeling unfulfilled is just part of running a business.
But what if you challenged that belief? What if you allowed yourself to take even just a few steps in the direction of your actual passion?
What if you stopped focusing on what might go wrong—and started asking, What if this all works out?
“I Have a Good Life” Is Not an Excuse to Play Small
Too often, we tell ourselves, I should just be grateful. My life is good. Who am I to want more? But having a good life doesn’t mean you should settle for a fine life when a deeply fulfilling one is available to you.
And what about the example you’re setting? Imagine teaching your kids, your colleagues, your employees what it truly means to follow their soul’s passions—not just by telling them, but by living it.
Moving Through Resistance
Resistance is a sign that you’re pushing up against the edges of your growth. Instead of asking, What if this doesn’t work? ask yourself:
What do I actually want?
What is the fear that’s stopping me?
What is the logical basis for that fear?
Many of these fears are conditioned responses—stories from childhood, past experiences, or societal expectations. Maybe you have a voice in your head saying, Don’t mess this up. But what if messing it up is exactly what you need to do?
Now Is the Time to Mess It All Up
Your purpose isn’t found in the things you can do just because they’re easy. It’s in the things that light you up, even if they feel risky. Even if they push you to the edge of discomfort.
You already know what that thing is.
So, stop waiting. Stop telling yourself the same fear-based story. Start leaning into the work you’re meant to do.
Coaching can help you move through the fear and into alignment.
Are you ready to take that step? Let’s talk.
