Shameful fact about me — I can’t swim. In fact, I’m pretty horrified of putting my face under water. When I was 14, I fell into a giant wave pool at a crowded water park and would’ve very likely died if a stranger hadn’t noticed and pulled me out.
It’s been a lifelong desire of mine to conquer my fear of water and learn to swim, so last summer, I signed up for beginners level swimming lessons at my local YMCA. In the weeks leading up to the class, I had imagined myself doing cannon balls into the pool, snorkeling on white sand beaches and doing Olympics worthy dives from the diving board at the next pool party I graced with my presence. By the time the first class rolled around, I was super pumped but also very nervous.
That day, I excitedly showed up to class, put on my trunks and made my way to the pool. To my surprise, there were already 5 other students in the pool with the instructor. I asked a lady standing near the pool with a clipboard if this was the beginners level class I was looking for, and she confirmed.
I climbed into the pool and joined the other 5 students. Within a couple of minutes of me getting into the pool, it was go time! The instructor did a quick, “Hi. My name is…” introduction, and without delay, started the class. The next thing he said was literally, “Do this” as he kicked off the wall of the pool and glided under water.
I looked to my left then looked to my right, and as I stood there puzzled, the other students, one by one did exactly what he did. All 5 went to the wall, kicked off, and glided under water.
At this point, I began to wonder whether I was in the right class. I turned and looked for the lady with the clipboard so I could confirm, a second time, that I was in the beginners level class, and she confirmed, again, that I was in the right place.
By now, 3 more students had arrived and joined the first group and each of the 3 fell in line, kicking off the wall and gliding under water. I was so confused. I tapped one of the other students on the shoulder and asked him if this was a beginners level class, and he said it was.
Eventually, the swim class instructor came over to me and asked me what was wrong. When I explained to him that I needed a B-E-G-I-N-N-E-R-S level class, he ended up being no help and I spent the rest of the hour in the corner of the pool watching everyone else learn to swim.
By the end of the hour, the entire class (except me) was swimming in the middle of the pool. Meanwhile, I tried and tried to build up the courage to kick off the wall and glide under water, but I never could do it. Even though I knew I wouldn’t drown, I was just too uncomfortable. I was so disappointed with myself.
Eight other people had progressed so quickly in that hour, and I was still standing in the corner of the pool, shivering with my canon ball dreams dashed. Great things were happening just outside my comfort zone, but I allowed my fear to get the best of me, keeping me from experiencing those great things.
And that’s how we do in life. We have these silly fears, often based on past experiences, that we allow to keep us caged into our tiny little comfort zones. We miss out on all the growth that comes when we step outside of that comfort zone and experience what the world has to offer. And while we’re still thinking about taking the leap, others are doing it.
So I want to encourage you to be courageous enough to step outside your comfort zone and to do the things that frighten you but get you to the place you want to be. Don’t be like I was that day — standing in the corner, watching everyone else get better.