Do You "Run Towards the Roar"?

When was the last time you got out of your “comfort zone”? It’s a cozy place to hang out. However, if you’re not trying new things and possibly failing, chances are you’re not growing and evolving.

Mythologist and storyteller Michael Meade, tells an African tale about how seeking safety might be costing you something. The story he tells is about lions working together to hunt by sending the oldest and weakest member of the pride away from the stronger lions who will hunt. The elderly, toothless lion has a roar that is bigger than its bite and settles in the tall grass across the way from the hunting lions, who wait for herds of prey to come into the area between them and the elderly lion. As they do so, the old lion starts to roar, which scares the herds of prey, sending them in the opposite direction from the old lion and right towards the stronger lions, who are lying in wait.

What does this story teach about staying in your comfort zone?

1. “Running towards” or staying with “safety” can be deceiving.

In the end, staying safe in your comfort zone can lead to its own kind of trouble. Like the herds of prey who run from a scary roar, going to what you think is safe can make you feel as though you are in control. But it’s keeping you from meeting challenges that help you grow as a person.

2. Choose to run towards what scares you.

Look for those situations and circumstances that seem daunting. You will never know your true talents and capabilities if you don’t face those “roaring lions” as a way to test yourself, possibly fail, learn from any failures, and grow. After all, you learn more from failure, not from successes.

3. Things almost always seem worse in your head than they turn out to be.

Once you identify your fears, move beyond your comfort zone to face them. What you originally feared could end up being an elderly, toothless lion that is merely a distraction that can’t hurt you. How many times has thinking about the “roaring” challenge been worse than the actual thing? For me, that happens almost 100% of the time! Facing the challenging situation is almost always not as big a deal as I had made it out to be.

4. By facing your fears, you find out what you can truly do and what’s possible.

Each time you step out toward a scary venture, you’ll find that you are safe and capable. Sure, you might fall short of your own expectations or fail outright, but you’ll find out where you stand and what you still have left to learn. Then, at least you can figure out a way through to the next step or the next time and move closer to success.

When you “run toward the roar”, you can face your fear and live to venture forth another day.

Which “roar” are you avoiding now? How might you test it to see if it really has teeth?