We all need to get out of our comfort zones. People trying to make money consulting or doing project work for the first time after years in the corporate world often stumble when it comes to selling themselves, to defining and communicating their brands and then effectively positioning themselves as the solution to someone’s problem.
This is a great clip from Wednesday night’s So You Think You Can Dance. Contestant Alex is an accomplished ballet dancer who was asked to do hip-hop with, for the first time in the show’s history, someone of the same gender. Watch the entire seven-minute clip (the sync is a bit off) because it gives you some perspective on what it took for Alex to leave his comfort zone and do something completely different and in a way that not only exceeded everyone’s expectations but apparently set a new standard for the show.
If this doesn’t motivate you to use your core competencies to try something completely different, I don’t know what will.
Please share some examples of ways you’ve taken your strengths and applied them to something new or took the time to learn a new skill that really paid off.
