Podcasts about push past your comfort zone

What would you do with a nine-hour layover in Chicago? Would you: Keep it safe and sit at the airport reading a book to ensure you didn’t miss your connecting flight? Grab your best friend, do as much exploring as possible, and make it back to the airport just in time to board? I don’t know what you’d pick. But can you take a wild guess which one I’d choose? That’s right, I’d choose option two any day. But do you know what I’ve noticed? There are actually people out there who would choose the first option every single time. Crazy, right? Even more shocking, one of them is a very good friend of mine. Related: 5 of the Most Important Qualities You Can Teach Your Kids When I was a junior in college, I got the opportunity to travel to Europe for my Western Civilization class. The week before we left, I remember receiving a very detailed itinerary from our trip leader, and the first thing I noticed was a nine-hour layover in Chicago. Normally, I wouldn’t get pumped about a nine-hour layover anywhere. But, I was a 21-year-old southern girl who had never been up north. So, the potential to have a big chunk of time to sightsee, shop, and eat my way through a very cool northern city got me pumped. I immediately called one of my good friends who was also going on the trip. Our conversation went a little something like this: Me: Guess what? We have nine hours in Chicago! We can go sightseeing, tour the city, and try new restaurants! Friend: No, we can’t. Me: We can’t? Friend: No. We can’t do that. We can’t leave the airport. Me: How do you know? Did you read something I missed? Friend: No. I’m just sure we can’t go. Me: Did someone tell you that? Like a leader or a past participant? Friend: No. I’m just sure we can’t go. Me: That’s so interesting, because I am so sure we can. I learned something about myself and other people that day. There tend to be two personality styles when it comes to trying new things. There are those who, when in doubt, assume they can’t. And there are those who, when the information or rules are not clear, assume they can. But you know what? Regardless of how you’re wired, you will go further and faster in life when you assume that you can. More importantly, someone who assumes they can do whatever it is they want to do is more willing, able and confident to try new things. And trying new things in life and in business is vital to growth. Your life will be small and predictable if all you ever do is what you know—if you only ever stick to is what is safe. That’s not the life God wants for you. He wants you to push the limits, get outside your comfort zone and try something new. Related: How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New Oh, and in case you were wondering, a group of 21-year-olds who were paying for a trip to Europe can, in fact, leave an airport to run around Chicago for a few hours. And once my friend got all the approvals she needed, we had an amazing time exploring the city. I don’t want you to miss out on all that God has prepared for you. That’s why I want to encourage you to train yourself to assume you can. Because when you do, you’ll try new things, see new things, experience new things, and grow in new ways. Now, don’t get me wrong: I’m not saying you need to change things just for the sake of changing them. If something in your life is rocking and rolling, keep doing that. However, don’t let things get stale in your life. Don’t keep doing what you’ve always been doing simply because you’ve always done it that way. Bring renewed vigor into your life by mixing things up a bit. Here are three tactical things you can do this week to try something new: 1. Add some personality. Maybe, up until this point, everything has been strictly business—in work, in your parenting, and in your marriage. That’s no fun! I want to encourage you to add some playfulness and humor into the mix. Don’t just show your followers the good stuff. Laugh at yourself as you show them some failures and mistakes you’ve experienced that week. Tell them all the ridiculous things that happened. People love that kind of realness. When you add personality to your business, it not only makes it fun for your followers, it makes it fun for you. Win-win! 2. Show behind the scenes. Have you ever noticed how reality TV shows will always show a person’s backstory before they get on the stage to sing or dance? Y’all, that’s on purpose. People love to hear other people’s backstories, especially when there’s a redemption angle. So, what can you share to become more relatable? I love the quote by Fred Rogers (Mister Rogers) that says, “Frankly, there isn’t anyone you couldn’t learn to love once you’ve heard their story.” This week, why not try pulling the curtain back and revealing a few secrets? 3. Learn something new. This is probably my favorite. You’ll never know the limits of your capabilities if you don’t learn something new. There are so many ways to do this: Listen to a new podcast, attend an event, read a new book, or seek out a new relationship. When you invite something new into your business and life, every part of you experiences growth. I know new things can be scary and overwhelming. But I promise you that everything you want— everything that’s good and worthwhile in the world—exists outside your comfort zone. So, assume that you can, try something new, and I promise you’ll be glad that you did. Embracing Change with Kelsey Humphreys Kelsey Humphreys is the queen of trying new things. Hence why introducing her consists of a long list of talents: She’s a speaker, comedienne, author, musician, YouTuber and host of The Kelsey Show podcast. In everything she does, she keeps one mission top-of-mind: To get you laughing and keep you moving toward your goals. I love that she uses so many different avenues to accomplish that mission. But how was she able to discover all those talents she’s capable of? You got it: By having the courage to try new things. Kelsey started her career in corporate advertising. She worked her way up the ladder when, one year, a frozen yogurt company reached out and asked her if she would run all of their marketing and branding for their more than 200 stores. This new giant client allowed her to leave the corporate world to start her own business as a freelancer. But when this major client was sold to another company, Kelsey had two options: She could seek out new clients and continue building her freelance business, or she could do what she really wanted to do—start her own show. The rest, as they say, is history. On this episode, Kelsey and I talk about: How to discover who you are by trying new things How to overcome the fear of rejection What to do with failure when you try something new Discovering new avenues for pursuing what you love How to fit new things into what you’re already doing Related: Learning From Failure: How to Dust Yourself Off and Move Forward Setting the Right Expectations Every spring, my husband and I take an extended weekend vacation to the beach—just the two of us. After the long winter season, all we want is to spend a few days with the sun beaming down on our faces. As we were planning this trip, we kept coming across this one hotel that had great reviews. People recommended it again and again. It had a beautiful infinity pool overlooking the beach and oceanfront rooms. It had everything we wanted, so we booked it. The day finally came when it was time to fly down to Florida. But the moment we pulled into the hotel, I was confused. This hotel was not on the ocean. It was on a busy street. I was mystified because every single photo we saw online showed the hotel right on the beach. I was amazed at how they managed to manipulate the photos to suspiciously remove the busy street where the hotel actually sat. As you can imagine, all my excitement and anticipation for this trip diminished. I’d looked forward to walking out of the hotel and immediately stepping onto the sand. I’d fantasized about listening from my balcony as the waves crashed on the shore. And now, none of that would be possible. But here’s the thing: If the hotel’s website had mentioned that this hotel was on a busy street that led to another street actually connected to the beach, I wouldn’t have been disappointed when I arrived. I would’ve known exactly what I was signing up for, or I would’ve booked a different hotel that offered what I was looking for. It’s so easy to do this in business. You want to attract more customers, so you make big, grand promises. But do you know what happens if you don’t meet those expectations? Your customers are disappointed because you overpromised and under-delivered. Related: The Right Way to Handle Your Competition So, I want to encourage you to do something different. I want you to under-promise and over-deliver to your clients. Be incredibly realistic and conservative with your quotes, timelines and capabilities. Be conservative about what you know you can do, and then blow your customers away. Exceed their expectations. When you do this, not only will your customers be much happier, but they’ll come back, too. 1:19 Three Tactical Things You Can Do This Week to Try Something New 13:37 Embracing Change with Kelsey Humphreys 41:44 Challenge to Set the Right Expectations for Your Customers Resources Business Boutique Conference The Business Boutique Conference is coming back to Nashville Oct. 24–26. If you want to learn how to grow your business and chase your dream, you don’t want to miss this event. To save $10 on any Business Boutique Conference ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. Sponsors DesignCrowd Check out our friends at DesignCrowd. If you’re looking for design work for your business, anything from a logo – to business cards – to your website, DesignCrowd is offering you, my Business Boutique listeners, a special offer to save up to $100 when you start your next project. Simply enter the discount code “BB” when posting a project on DesignCrowd. Or visit DesignCrowd.com/BB. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

Some people think I help people find their calling. But I’ll be the first to tell you that’s not what I do. It’s just not my thing. The idea that there is only one purpose I was put on this Earth to do is paralyzing. I actually believe there are many things I could do that would get me excited about going to work on a Monday morning. And I think the same is probably true for you. Related: Why You Shouldn’t Worry About Finding Your Calling That’s why I don’t deal with callings. Instead, I help people discover something they’re really good at and enjoy doing, so they can turn it into a business they love. I love this because when people know what they’re passionate about, they begin to live intentionally in their purpose. They become more thoughtful and action-oriented because now they know exactly what to go after. Rather than just reacting to whatever life throws at them, they set goals and carefully evaluate the steps needed to get there. This is important because when you decide to live on purpose in your purpose, you’ll experience more fulfillment and success. Why? Because nothing will push you to work harder than whatever it is that fires you up. So let me ask you: Is this the kind of life you’re living today? I know it can be hard to feel sure, which is why I have three clues you can look for to figure this out. How Do You Know If You’re Living an Intentional Life?  1. You’re Living in Your Gifts and Strengths I believe God made you 100% unique. There’s no one else on this Earth who has your combination of voice, style, perspective, experience and interests. Understanding and utilizing the gifts God has given you in your business is critical to your success. Like I said earlier: When you’re not working in your strengths, you not only won’t enjoy your work, but you’ll also lack the motivation to push through the rough patches. And let me tell you, there are a lot of those in business. If you could use more encouragement around using your God-given gifts in business, download my free 7-Day Devotional in the Resources section below. 2. You’re Passionate About What You’re Pursuing Just like your strengths and your gifts, God also created you with unique interests, values and passions. I love dancing, but I hate details. I get really excited about adventure and being outside, but I’m not a fan of math, history or science. I’m passionate about people and relationships, but I’m not crazy about politics. But you know what’s so fascinating? There are lots of people out there who do get excited about the things I don’t like. So what gets you excited? What makes you light up and come alive? What gives you energy and joy? Take your time thinking and praying over these questions. It will help you identify whether you’re actually passionate about what you’re doing. Related: How to Find Your Passion and Grow a Business You Love 3. You’re Making a Difference God didn’t create any of us to be an island—off on our own unconcerned about the rest of the world. In fact, I believe He created us to live and work in community. It means He gave us our unique strengths, gifts and passions for the purpose of blessing other people. When you focus on the needs of the people you’re helping and serving, you’re making a difference. You’re impacting someone’s life, and that’s a clear indicator that you’re exactly where you need to be. This week, I want to challenge you to look for specific examples of each clue in your life. Are you living in your strengths? Are you passionate about what you’re doing? Are you making a difference in some way? The list you compile should tell you one of two things: You’re doing exactly what you should be doing right now. It’s time to start making small changes that will lead you where you want to be in the future. Related: How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New How to Cultivate a Life of Purpose with Lara Casey My guest today has built her life around intentional living, and she’s experienced a lot of success because of it. Lara Casey is the CEO of Cultivate What Matters, author of the books Cultivate and Make It Happen, creator of PowerSheets and the host of the podcast Cultivate Your Life. Lara is passionate about creating tools to help women live out their purpose right where they are. Clearly, she’s doing it in so many different ways! Her story is filled with many turns and detours. Too often, we don’t understand the winding path we’ve been on. But Lara encourages us to embrace our journey anyway because God can use all of it. I love how Lara puts it: “Sometimes we look back at our paths to where we are now and some of the pieces can feel very disconnected. But I’m so grateful to look back and see how deeply connected each one of my pieces is.” On today’s episode, we talk about: How to connect the dots in your past to discover your purpose Living with intention versus living by accident Practical ways to start living on purpose today Dealing with disappointment when you don’t meet your goals Taking the pressure to always say yes off ourselves (and others) From Intentional Living to Intentional Selling  Long before I created Business Boutique—before there was a book, a podcast, a live event and an Academy—I spent many months on the phone doing the not-so-glamorous work of gathering research. I wanted to learn everything I could about people with side businesses. Related: Market Research: How to Know What Your Customers Want I had a list of questions I asked each and every person I interviewed. One question was: “How do you feel about selling?” Every single person responded the same way. They all had negative things to say about sales. And I totally get it! Selling is uncomfortable and intimidating, even if you’ve been in business for a while. But you know what surprised me the most? After the question about selling, I would always ask, “Why do you love this business?” Y’all, I would literally hear an audible shift in the tone of their voice as each one told me the story behind their business. I remember one photographer telling me, “I love capturing these moments and memories that matter.” Another woman who sewed dresses for little girls said, “I love seeing little girls in the church lobby on Sunday morning twirling around in a dress that I sewed them.” As they shared their hearts with me, I immediately wanted to buy from them right then and there. Why? Because that kind of passion is attractive and draws you in. That is the power of story. You don’t have to feel slimy or be pushy or get on people’s nerves to sell your product or service. Instead, I want to encourage you to simply share your story. Share your why with your potential customer. When you do that, the sale will naturally follow. #AskChristyWright On today’s #AskChristyWright segment, we talk about the pros and cons of selling your products on Etsy versus launching your own website. We also talk about standing out from the competition on Etsy and how to leverage your current and past customers. I love hearing directly from you. If you have a question for me, give me a call on my toll-free line at 844.944.1074. You might hear your question on a future episode! 1:19 Intentional Living: Three Clues You're Living in Your Purpose 11:49 How to Cultivate a Life of Purpose with Lara Casey 37:55 #AskChristyWright 42:45 Challenge: Share Your "Why" with Your Customers Resources Get Christy’s 7-Day Devotional by filling out the form here! The Business Boutique Academy is OPEN!  I’m so excited to announce that enrollment to the Business Boutique Academy is open! The Academy is the only place where I get in your business with you. Stop getting stuck wondering what to do next. I’ll teach you what to focus on every week and give you the resources to help you win. You’ll also get monthly training sessions with me and access to an incredible community of like-minded women in business—because you weren’t made to do this alone. It’s only open for a few days, so get in before it’s too late. And you know I’ve got a special treat for you, my podcast listeners. When you sign up for the Academy using the promo code ACADEMYBONUS, you’ll get a free audio lesson: 3 Ninja Tricks I Use to Maximize Social Media. I’ll see you there! Sponsors Check out our friends at DesignCrowd. If you’re looking for design work for your business, anything from a logo – to business cards – to your website, DesignCrowd is offering you, my Business Boutique listeners, a special offer to save up to $100 when you start your next project. Simply enter the discount code “BB” when posting a project on DesignCrowd. Or visit DesignCrowd.com/BB. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

A few months ago, I read a very interesting article in The Washington Post about a researcher who studied 400,000 knitters. She was learning about my favorite topic: how these women turned their hobby of knitting into a business. She discovered an interesting phenomenon that I’ve actually witnessed for years now through Business Boutique. Before I launched Business Boutique, I conducted my own research on women with businesses. I noticed an interesting theme: When it comes to turning your hobby into a business, a sense of community plays a key role in women doing it scared. When we have camaraderie and support, when we can lock arms with other women and do it together, we’re more likely to launch the business we’ve been dreaming about. Related: How to Face Your Fears and Do It Scared This woman’s research reiterated that reality. From the 403,168 individual knitters she studied from 2007 to 2014, the ones who joined a group to craft socially were 25% more likely to start a business.(1) When asked what it was that transformed these women from pattern makers to pattern sellers, the most common answer was that someone they knew had encouraged them to sell their work: Many had already been modifying patterns and designing their own yarn gnomes and cat costumes, but until they heard from others, they lacked the confidence to step out on their own.(2) I was blown away by this. Not because I had never heard of this phenomenon before (my own research proved it), but because this principle of needing community is still true in a specific industry like knitting and on a massive scale like a study of 400,000 people. There’s no doubt that entrepreneurship can be intimidating and lonely. But that’s where the power of building community comes in. I see this every single year at our Business Boutique events. When you bring 3,000 women together from all over the country who work in all types of industries and are in different stages of business, there is a special bond created. Here’s what happens: These women walk into the room with all kinds of feelings, fears and questions about their businesses, and they think they’re the only ones who feel that way. But once they hear the speakers on stage and connect with other women struggling with the same things, they realize, I’m not so crazy after all. Community opens our eyes to the truth, gives us the confidence and support we need to take the next step, and cultivates a place to belong. It’s everything we need to stop letting fear hold us back from making our dreams a reality. Related: How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New The Three Types of Community You Need  No matter what stage of business you’re in, if you don’t have a community around you, I want you to make building one or getting into one a top priority this month. You should be a part of three different types of communities: 1. People in Your Shoes This means people walking in the same shoes as you are or those in the same type of industry or business you’re in. When you come together, you feel a unique connection that you wouldn’t feel with someone in a completely different business. This will be your network of people who understand exactly what it’s like to do what you do. When you get together to knowledge-share with this group, you exchange very specific advice on things like: handling difficult customers best practices, policies to protect yourself and vendor recommendations marketing strategies specific to your target market managing the seasonality of your business 2. People in Other Shoes This is a group of people who have different perspectives from you because they work in different industries. It is so beneficial to have this community, because oftentimes, we get too close to our business. We can get so deep in the weeds that we truly can’t see the forest for the trees. But when you seek support from those completely outside your business, they bring in a fresh pair of eyes and diverse ideas. It’s hard to get out of the mindset that the way you’ve been doing things is the only way to do them. When you bring in an outsider, they’re able to step in without the blinders or boundaries that typically constrain you. They help get you off the ground to get a wider and higher view of your business. 3. People You Serve You need community for your personal and professional development. Well, the same is true for your customers. If you want them to feel connected with each other and with you, build a community where they can do so. A few years ago, we started a Business Boutique Facebook group. And with almost no effort from me—I don’t post content or do any Facebook lives there—it blew up. We continue to get hundreds of new members, because women want to feel surrounded by other women with a similar mission. They want a place to ask for advice, share their elevator pitch, and simply feel heard. I don’t even have to maintain this Facebook group, because the power of community is in the community. We have another Facebook community for the Business Boutique Academy. I jump in that group a lot for Facebook live videos and coaching sessions. It has created a different level of community because these women, as members of the Academy, are on the same track. They’re learning the same curriculum, working on the same homework, and receiving training on the same days. They’re able to take all of that to the next level by showing off their work and getting feedback from one another. I do want to warn you about something that will come up when you create a community for your customers. You will likely experience some fear that, by creating it and connecting them with each other, there won’t be a need for you anymore. While this is a normal thought, it is simply not true. That’s the scarcity mentality that is so detrimental to business. You are the initiator that introduced them to one another—the glue that keeps them together—so they will be that much more grateful to you for creating a place for their new community to thrive. Do what’s best for your customers. When you stop treating your customers only as individual transactions or one-on-one relationships, you create a movement. And a movement is what creates momentum, loyal customers and a community of people who rally around something. Related: Market Research: How to Know What Your Customers Want Building a community is one of my favorite topics to talk about, because I truly believe it’s the difference between winning in business and giving up too soon. This is why we created the Business Boutique Academy, my online business training group where I get in your business with you. In the Academy, I teach on a new topic weekly, host a live coaching session monthly, and connect you with other like-minded women who are winning in business. Building a Community from the Ground Up with Natalie Franke Natalie Franke started a wedding photography business when she was in college. While it quickly became successful in her local market, she felt lonely in the world of entrepreneurship. She was craving a sense of community. But when she sought it out, she couldn’t find one that fit her values of camaraderie and support. So, she took matters into her own hands and set out to create a place for creative entrepreneurs to gather. Natalie now leads the Rising Tide Society. She started this community by gathering creatives in her hometown of Annapolis, Maryland. Within months, the groups were spreading like wildfire around the country. Today, Rising Tide meetups happen across 400 cities around the world! It’s no wonder these groups have become so popular. Community is desperately needed in our world of business. Humans find fulfillment and thrive the most in relationships, and it’s no different in business. Entrepreneurship is a team sport. In this episode, Natalie and I talk about: having a student mindset in business why small business owners have to be in a community and where to find it getting rid of the scarcity mentality and moving into one of abundance the right way to handle competition how to build a community within your specific industry Don’t Be Anyone Else But You  Several years ago, when I was first named a personality for Ramsey Solutions, I had a consultation with a professional stylist. She was there to teach me how to look good on stage and on video. I’ll never forget the pictures she showed me on her phone. They were images of women she thought should be my inspiration. Every single photo was of a stiff, rigid, news anchor-looking woman with a bob and a navy suit. She kept telling me, “This is so you!” While I kept thinking, You’re so wrong.   She wanted me to dress and look like a woman who was nothing like me. In that moment, I had to make a decision: Either I was going to lean into what this professional stylist thought I should look like, or I was going to lean into what I thought I should look like. Related: How to Be More Confident Friends, you have to make the same decision when others invade your life to tell you “the right way” of doing things. You have to teach yourself to lean into what makes you you. That decision is up to you, but I want you to know there is no one in the world like you. No one can do what you can do the way you do it. I want to encourage you to love and embrace your unique qualities, because that is what God is going to use in you. So what are the things that make you you? I dare you to lean into them. Let your weird flag fly. #AskChristyWright  On today’s segment, we talk about: how to get your customers to stick with you when you change your product offerings how to get your products in stores what to do during your slow seasons in business If you have a question, give me a call on my toll-free line at 844.944.1074. You might hear your question on a future episode!  1:23 How to Build Community With Your Business 14:46 Building a Community From the Ground Up With Natalie Franke 35:30 #AskChristyWright 45:19 Encouragement: Don’t Be Anyone Else But You Resources We are opening enrollment for the Business Boutique Academy! It will be open for only a few days, and I’m telling you now because I want you to plan for it. The cost is $489 for the entire year to have me as your business coach and a tribe of women by your side every step of the way. Budget for it, mark your calendar, join the waitlist, and get in the Academy on March 18! Text the code ACADEMYWAITLIST to 33444 to sign up for the Business Boutique Academy Waitlist to be notified the moment enrollment opens! Sponsors Check out our friends at Volusion. You can set up your online store and start selling your products within minutes. It’s that easy. Sign up for your FREE 14 day trial at Volusion.com/BB. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

Getting Outside Your Comfort Zone If you want to go anywhere in business or life, you’re going to need to get outside your comfort zone and try something new. How I Got Outside My Comfort Zone and Started the Business Boutique Podcast In 2016, when Business Boutique was just starting, my team and I decided to try something new. We knew we wanted another format outside of our event to share the message of Business Boutique. We decided to start a podcast. And to be honest, it wasn’t my first choice. I would have much rather focused my attention and efforts on creating more video content. There were a few things that factored into our decision to pursue an audio format over video format, but one large factor was that I was pregnant with my second son, Conley. We knew that it would be difficult to record videos and maintain a consistent production schedule through my pregnancy and my maternity leave. So we decided to try something new with this whole podcast thing. Luckily it’s worked. But when we first started recording the podcast, the format was hard for me. It was recorded. It wasn’t live. There was no audience for me to interact with. It was just me. With a giant microphone in my face. Alone in a room with my podcast producer, Chris. To put it plainly, it was outside my comfort zone. I’m comfortable speaking to a live audience or on video. I felt limited with the audio format. I didn’t know how to translate my emotions and my facial features over an audio podcast. I was afraid that my energy and excitement wouldn’t translate. It was something I’d never done before. The Results of Trying Something New Despite my hesitation, I trusted my team. And I’m so glad I did. We tried something new and we’ve seen an incredible impact. We’ve reached over 2 million downloads and recorded 54 episodes. We’ve heard so many stories from listeners who have taken what they’ve learned and started businesses, grown beyond their wildest dreams, and made money doing what they love. Think of all the people who have been inspired because we chose to communicate information in a way that could be listened to in the car, on a run or while doing the dishes. It was all possible because we tried something outside my comfort zone. What does that look like for you? Related: Ep. 46—Use Your Gifts to Make a Difference Rethinking Your Comfort Zone We think of our comfort zone as something scary. But it’s not just that. Pursing something outside your comfort zone doesn’t mean that you always have to do something scary. It doesn’t have to always be bigger or involve more risk; it might just be something that you’ve never done before—something that you’re not comfortable with. That’s why we call it a comfort zone. The Limits Your Comfort Zone Puts On You When we choose to live inside our comfort zones, we make statements about ourselves. I’m not a writer. I’m not business minded. I can’t do it. I don’t have enough time. We put limitations and labels on ourselves and then we live within them. But what if God doesn’t agree with your labels? What if God wants to do something new in you—something outside your comfort zone? What if He doesn’t have those same limitations for you? Related: Don’t Let Fear Stop You From Starting What Happens Outside Your Comfort Zone When you choose to step outside your comfort zone, the thing that used to scare you actually becomes a part of your comfort zone. One day you look up and think, I can’t believe I’m doing this. It all happens one baby step at a time as you learn, grow and become your new self. But it only happens outside your comfort zone. As you become more you can do more, and as you do more you can go after more things! In this episode I’m going to teach you: The three best things that happen when you step outside your comfort zone. How to embrace growth, learning and change. The importance of pushing past the limitations you put on yourself. How getting outside your comfortable surroundings is the key to new horizons. I know that in my own life, every time I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone I’ve been equipped to take on even bigger things. Doing the thing I’m most scared to do often empowers me to take on new things, reach new heights, and achieve things I never thought possible. The same will be true for you too. It’s time to get outside your comfort zone and try something new! Trying Something New and Stepping Outside of Your Comfort Zone with Sarah Jakes Roberts Y’all, when I say this woman is a powerhouse, I am not EVEN kidding! Sarah Jakes Roberts is a take-charge businesswoman, writer and media personality who expertly balances career, ministry and family. In Sarah’s 2014 memoir, Lost and Found: Finding Hope in the Detours of Life, Sarah shared her story in a completely transparent way that people can’t help but to gravitate to her. Her father, Bishop T.D. Jakes, is a megachurch pastor, bestselling author and film producer, and her mother, Mrs. Serita Jakes, is an author, media personality and business executive. Sarah and her husband, Touré Roberts, pastor a dynamic community of artists and professionals in Hollywood, CA, while also raising their five beautiful children. I am so excited that Sarah Jakes Roberts is speaking on “Living Out your Purpose” at our Business Boutique 3-Day Event in Nashville this November! In this episode, Sarah Jakes Roberts and I talk about: How to break free from your past and find your purpose in life. Why you should let go of the things that don't align with your passions. What to do with perfection paralysis. How women are uniquely positioned to create real change in our culture. Related: The Fastest Way to Grow in Your Gifts I also have a challenge for you to stop saying the word "little" when you talk about your business. Lastly, don’t forget that I love hearing from you! Give me a call on my new toll-free line at 844.944.1074. You might hear your question on a future episode! 1:21 How to Push Past Your Comfort Zone and Try Something New 17:11 Interview with Sarah Jakes Roberts 41:52 Challenge to Stop Saying the Word "Little" 46:03 #ASKCHRISTYWRIGHT Get Christy's Fear or Wisdom Filter by filling out the form here! To save $10 on any Business Boutique Nashville ticket, use the code BBWRIGHT. Sign up for the Business Boutique Academy waitlist at BusinessBoutique.com/Academy. If you have a success story you would like to share with the Business Boutique community, email me at podcast@businessboutique.com. New podcast episodes are available every other week.

“You can build a dream in just 15 minutes.” – Craig Ballantyne   The above quote is just one of the many nuggets that I took away from my latest interview with Craig Ballantyne, productivity guru, editor of Early to Rise and Fitnesspreneur, when he came on The Fitnesspreneur’s Life Show podcast and after reading his book, The Perfect Day Formula.   If you want to have the future you desire, you’ll make the time now.   Focus and productivity all start with the night before.   Craig teaches us how to deal with random and instead turn it into focus.   The system that Craig puts forth is a framework that can get anyone to work on their top priority project.    1 - Start the Night Before… and then Keep Going.   At the end of every workday, Craig does a brain dump.     He writes down everything that he needs to do the next day.     Then, he prioritizes his list so that he doesn’t spend the precious moments of the next day wasting time.     Then, he spends the first fifteen minutes of every day focused on his top priority- nothing else.     2 -  Control your Life. Set up Rules.     Little by little, you can set Rules of Life that encompass all the things you value.   You want more health?   Create rules of life that control your health like, “I won’t eat 3 hours before bed.”   You want more wealth?   Create a rule of life that says, “I will spend 15 minutes every morning working my top priority.”   Just taking the time to think about what you value most, and creating rules of life and you will find yourself gaining control of your choices.     3 – Push Past Your Comfort Zone.   Whether it’s physical work, like losing weight, or creating your brand, success all happens all in the mind.   It’s going to require you to move beyond your normal routine and find out what you’re made of.     You become more comfortable with being uncomfortable by developing your skills, getting a coach, and putting yourself in the environment of people who are willing to challenge you!      4 – Put Your Ego Aside.   Pushing that comfort zone means you need to be able to take criticism.    If you’re looking for non-stop praise and people to blow sunshine up your you-know-what, then you’re not looking to make a change.   Analyze what you’re doing, and be honest with yourself. It may not feel good, but it’s truly necessary.       5 – Be Descriptive in Your Life Plan.   Ambiguous goals get ambiguous results.   Whatever the goal is, be specific and clear.     Make sure you can smell it, feel it, and breathe it.  Then you are on the right path to making it a reality.   What you can control is your destination and the rewards that await you.      6- Live a Life by Design, Structure Creates Freedom.   We need more structure to have more freedom.   This is why we have rules, laws and agreements. They give us all the opportunity for a safe, happy life.   It’s the lack of structure with our days and our plans for success that have led us to missing the mark in our lives.