You can live a safe, predictable life, or you can live a wild, chaotic, unpredictable life. The former provides you with a sense of safety, and the latter a sense of excitement.
Living your life on the line that separates these two extremes is what I call “living life on your edge.”
One secret for living life on your edge is to do something in your life that scares or intimidates you.
It’s a wonderful way to grow and challenge yourself.
When I was 20 years old, I was intimidated by the consulting industry and the case interview — BUT I did do it anyway. (I’m so glad that I did!)
This month I joined the Girl Scouts and volunteered to be a meeting leader for my youngest daughter’s troop (the parents take turns leading each meeting).
I am TERRIFIED — but I’m doing it anyway.
I’m sure I will figure it out, as I usually do (though not always within the time frame I prefer). But, not knowing in advance what I will do or how I will figure it out makes me nervous.
(I ended up reaching out to my network and they’ve been very helpful.)
Here’s my question of the day:
What are you vigorously pursuing in your life that intimidates you?
Share your thoughts with me below.
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96 thoughts on “Living Life on Your Edge”
There are 3 things at the moment that I am aiming for which intimidate/scare me
1. Cold emailing and cold contacting investment banks and consulting firms to ask for an unpaid internship.
2. Applying again and going through the recruitment process to join my university’s case competition team (I was rejected last year for poor public speaking skills).
3. Taking on a leadership role at a growing start-up (this terrifies me because I have no experience in managing start-ups or people in a business).
This article was a big relief for me because I’m still a little intimidated by what I’m doing now… and the desire to turn back because of fear is constant and strong!
Six months ago I quit my job as a consultant at a Fortune 500 company to move to Beijing, join an education start-up, and try to achieve my lifelong goal of mastering Mandarin Chinese.
I’m happy with my current direction in life, but there are days when that big corporate security still calls to me and it’s always a struggle to resist.
Thanks again for a great read!
Hello Victor,
I’m preparing for consulting jobs and I come from a non target school in Brazil.
Sometimes I feel so scared when I think about applying among all those top university folks. But, as you said, I’m doing it anyway, and hopefully I’ll be glad that I did.
Regards,
-Fernando
PhD med sci, xCEO, xADL, high performer, loving difficulties and sorted chalanges out – the ones other failed with. But running into a destructive manager smashed me to the ground. Now struggling with depression. How to find the confidence again? How to find my brevity?
Hi Victor,
as part of your network, I would be glad to provide my insights into scout activities as I have done for many years (although it might not be in the time frame anymore)
What scares me? For long, an empty calendar for the weekend did – survived that many times and its actually great!
Now… Taking a decision for a new job after leaving a MBB job – how can I live my passion?
Hi Victor,
I’m really scared of a big change that is coming in my way (on purpose) that is to move to the industry from a government/consultancy-related job. I do have the drive and the energy to succeed in a new position but I’m still lacking in confidence, even though I’ve been longing for this move for many years.
I hope your “consulting caliber skills pack” help me to get ready for that.
As you said, “I am TERRIFIED – but I’m doing it anyway”!!
All the best,
AP
Hello Victor,
I am 32 and work for an ad agency as a Client Service team Leader for major account. This year I have decided to be a mother and understood that lots of doors in professional growth just shut down in front of me. I am not perceived as a leader, a someone who company can invest into any longer. It is very intimidating and upsetting. I am not going to be long at maternity leave especially now when our currency collapsed and majority of population is on verge of poverty, but my intention means nothing to management.
I am irritated at how society acts with women who want to become mothers, we are not ill, we are not less capable of doing anything…
Fantastic post as always. To answer your question, I have an idea for a new weighlifting/powerlifting-centric fitness class geared towards women. It’s something I’m very passionate about but the what if’s keep me from actively immersing myself in the possibility of making it happen.
I am applying for HBS.
It is really teriffying me.
But after all, it is something I aspire to finish.
It is terrying me not because I hate it but I really want to achieve it. Therefore, I am afraid that I am gonna fail It.
I will be applying for an MBA degree to some of the top schools in the US. The process is quite intimidating – I am not sure whether my current profile is good enough to make it to the top schools.