5 Great Reasons To Be Bold & Go Out On A Limb

by Tess on February 20, 2009

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Creative Commons License photo credit: certified su

First:
The winners leaving the best comments on “Magic Monday” are Cheryl, Annie, Stacey and Jannie. Each will receive a paperback copy of my book, “Flying By The Seat Of My Soul.” Be sure to stop by this Monday for more magic and another opportunity to win!

What and who motivates you to go out on a limb? Going out on a limb to me means taking a calculated risk. It’s daring to go where few have gone before. 

Identify what you need in your relationships, business and other areas of life that require you to get out of your comfort zone and take risks. In order to motivate yourself define “what your fruit” or reward  will be. Then make an action plan and begin.

The following will help you get inspired:

People Will Notice. If it’s your business you will stand out from the crowd. If it’s a relationship it could change the dynamics.  If you’re fearful or doubtful figure out the benefits and focus on them.  Go after what you want like your success depends on it. Because it does!

I’ve always told my daughters if they have their eye on a certain job they have to believe it’s got their name on it and do what it takes to get it. And mostly that includes going out on a limb to differentiate themselves from others.

As one of 10 children I did what it took to get any morsel of love, attention and affection I could.
Growing up I was loud, spoke my mind and out on a limb most of the time. (Of course as an adult I had to learn how to reign in my “big energy” and use it effectively!)

When I was 13 my dad offered my sisters and I $5 to be the first one to swim across the pond. Now this was a pond with a snapper turtle, fish, water snakes and lots of algae growing underneath the water. We never had swimming lessons and always swam in the shallower sandy part where you could see and mostly touch bottom. It was here we taught ourselves to “dog paddle” on hot clammy afternoons on the farm.

The day my dad made that offer I went for it like my life depended on it. I not only wanted the five dollars, I wanted my dad to notice my bravery, I wanted to shine. I succeeded at both

No One Is Coming To Rescue You. Empower yourself and take the steps needed to move yourself forward. One of my daughter’s was born without a right hand. As her mother I knew I would have to require she do the same tasks her sisters did. She used to cry and say she couldn’t do dishes with only one hand. I always reminded her she was capable, it would just take her a little longer. Because I was tough on Kristy, today she is very successful.

You’ll Get Your Juices Running. Once we take action and see improvements we inspire ourselves to do more. We become more creative, capable and enthusiastic. New ideas and originality abound.

I used to work as a professional speaker. Professional speaking is 90% marketing and 10% speaking. Each time I succeeded at getting a company to hire me I would inspire myself to reach for more. I wasn’t satisfied with a workshop, I wanted to be the keynote speaker. When I was a keynote speaker I wanted a standing ovation. Not only because my ego loved it but because it would make me more memorable and I’d receive referrals. Which meant less marketing and more speaking!

What happens when your “juices are flowing?”

You’ll Quiet Your Inner Critic. Each one of our successes is like a bank deposit. We become rich in self-confidence, self-acceptance, faith, courage and wisdom. If we fail to go out on a limb we’ll never know what could have been.

We are have gifts to offer our world. If we don’t use them we aren’t doing our part to make the world a better place to be.  Quiet your inner critic by being the best you can be.

The More Fruit You Have The More You Have To Offer Others. If I didn’t get my master’s degree in counseling psychology (the fruit) I wouldn’t have been able to help so many people with their personal growth. When my former counseling clients would say, “Thank you so much. You changed my life” I would say “No, you changed your life, I was only the conduit.”

When Nike says, “Just Do It” what they are also saying is “Go Out On A Limb!”

What risk have you been avoiding?
Where does your best fruit lie?
What is your plan?

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    { 10 comments… read them below or add one }

    Robin February 20, 2009 at 8:55 pm

    Hi there Tess – I think the key is to follow our inner guidance – which at times may well take us out on a limb! Then we need to take a deep breath and go out there, or we end up feeling worthless.

    Robin’s last blog post..Finding Our True Selves

    Reply

    Lance February 20, 2009 at 9:17 pm

    Hi Tess,

    That inner critic can roar loudly at times! Tess, I love how you share so many personal experiences in your writing (which reminds me, I have to start reading your book!!). These stories really help to show what can be – by knowing others go through similar situations – and succeed by being bold!

    What’s jumping out at me here – standing out in the crowd. I’m going to spend some time thinking about this one – and what that really means to me.

    Have a super weekend!!

    Lance’s last blog post..Sometimes…Life Beats You Up

    Reply

    Daphne February 21, 2009 at 4:12 am

    Tess, what a challenge! I went out on a limb 7 years ago by leaving a full-time, regular-salaried job. It was scary but exhilarating and I’ve never looked back. I think starting a blog was going out on a limb for me, to ‘go public’ even when I didn’t feel ready. I’m not sure what the next challenge is. Living alone? Marriage? I’ll have to think about it, thanks for the bold challenge!

    Daphne’s last blog post..The WriteShots and The Quote Effect

    Reply

    Jannie Funster February 21, 2009 at 6:31 am

    Tes, Tes, Tess, YOU stand out from the crowd beautifully.

    What a wonderful piece.

    Perhaps I’ve been avoiding the risk of learning to perform my songs and the guitar work that takes to get me there. Other than my wonderful pastry cooking, gardening know-how and all ’round keen house-decorator’s eye, my fruit lies in performing live (much easier than performing dead, hee hee.)

    As to my plan, check out my upcoming Monday post!

    Jannie Funster’s last blog post..Bristles on a stick

    Reply

    Tess February 21, 2009 at 6:52 am

    Robin,
    Your right! And that’s why we sometimes ignore our intuition. I never looked at it that way before!

    Lance,

    You have no problem standing out in the crowd. Your readers are crazy about you.

    Daphne,

    I love how brave and bold you are! I’m glad you put your blog out there before you were ready! Because we’re never “ready” to go out on a limb we just have to go!

    Reply

    Tess February 21, 2009 at 6:53 am

    Jannie,

    Funny! I want some of your pastries with my coffee today. So I think I’ll be coming in May to see you out on your limb!

    Reply

    LisaNewton February 24, 2009 at 12:45 pm

    Oh, I’m sorry it took me so long to get over here. For some reason, your comments on my blog ended up in the spam folder. I don’t look at that folder too often, but I’m so glad I did.

    I love this post and it’s just want I needed. I’m ready to “go out on a limb” and you’ve inspired me even more.

    I’m hoping it takes once or twice to step outside my comfort zone, and off I’ll go………………………:)

    Reply

    [email protected] February 24, 2009 at 1:05 pm

    Hi Tess,

    Great article! We all need to go out on a limb a little more.

    I see you’ve got a promotion going for The Power of Less! Nice!

    Look forward to reading more articles from you.

    ’s last blog post..Success in a Nutshell

    Reply

    zStephen February 27, 2009 at 6:54 am

    Hi Tess, the comments seem to be working fine when I am logged in. Not sure why you are having a problem. Sorry.

    Reply

    Tess February 27, 2009 at 6:36 pm

    Lisa,
    I don’t know why that happens with spam but mine in particular are going in spam on many of the blogs I comment on. I’ve got someone on figuring that out for me now. Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad I can help.

    Dustin,

    i agree and I’ll meet you out on the limb sometimes!

    Stephen,
    Thanks for your help!

    Reply

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