In this episode, host John Laurito shares how something uncomfortable can turn into second nature for you. Often, people fear doing uncomfortable or unknown things and then end up getting stuck. John shares what sets successful people apart from those who aren’t. Successful people are able to create an unbelievable life because they do things that others simply won’t.
[0:00] Intro
[1:02] Travel updates
[3:33] What’s John’s point for today’s episode
[5:47] Why do you need to try the things that scare you?
[6:36] The percentage of people who want to stay in their comfort zone
[8:10] Outro
John (Intro): I have been on a quest to learn everything I can about leadership obsessed with what makes the best leaders so good. After running companies small and large for the last 20 years, today I speak on stages all across the world to audiences who are interested in that same question. My name is John Laurito and I’m your host. I invite you to join me on this journey as we explore this topic: What makes the best leaders so good? Welcome to Tomorrow’s Leader.
John: All right, welcome to today’s episode of Tomorrow’s Leader, where we dive deep on all things leader-related, related to leaving yourself and leading others. I’m your host today and every day. So today, right now it is 10:30 at night on a Monday evening. And I am leaving for the airport tomorrow. 3:00 a.m. Yes, crazy. So I’m just doing a little podcasting because I’m in the mood to do a little podcasting. So why not Monday night, 10:30 a few hours before getting ready to go and I hear Boatie barking in the background so you might hear him. There he goes. It’s all right. I’m not starting over. I’m just going with it because it’s 10:30 at night and that’s how I roll at 10:30 at night. So I wanted to share with you a little bit of insight because it’s interesting with this whole travel thing.
John: So I have not, it’s been 18 months of no travel for the most part. I’ve been used to traveling my whole career and what I’m doing and leadership consulting and Keynote presentations and executive coaching and all that. There’s normally a lot of travel and that’s been wiped out obviously during the pandemic. So just recently, over the last couple of months I’m sorry, a couple of weeks, I’ve now returned to travel, which is awesome. But what I will tell you is that it was uncomfortable. I’ll be honest with you. You know, three weeks ago I went away on a trip. It was the first business trip that I had taken for the most part, at least on a plane in 18 months. And it’s weird, you know, I have been traveling for so long, for so many years. And, you know, you get your routine down and it’s kind of like second nature. You just you know, with the pack, you know your whole routine where you’re going to park, go to the airport, you know, where the gate is and security and all that kind of stuff, you just you almost just go into, you know, a brainless situation and just go through autopilot.
John: But it’s funny, having not done it for eighteen months, I actually get to tell you, I was a little anxious, a little nervous. I’m like, OK, well, what was my routine again then? I’m now down here in Alice Springs, North Carolina, so I don’t know. The airport is well, I’m like, OK, so my flight’s at five. What time do I need to leave here? How long will it take me to get through the airport? I’m like, OK, so do I drive? Do I get a car, you know, have somebody Uber there. Where do I park, you know, when I park. How close is it? Do I need to take a shuttle? Do I just walk into the terminal, you know, and all this kind of stuff? And how do I even pack? I’m like, you know what, did I forget my whole routine? So it became really uncomfortable. And that quickly, though, all came back to me.
John: And when I did my first trip, which was in Florida for a couple of days, came back the next, we got another one in California. And for that trip, I was almost like second nature. It just came back. Now, this third one, I’m all set, ready to go. I haven’t even packed, to be honest with you. It’s 10:30 now. 10:40. I’m going to leave at 3:00 a.m. I haven’t even started to pack, but I’m not anxious about it because what was uncomfortable for me now is really
routine and comfortable. And my point with this is so many times we get stuck because we don’t do something because we’re uncomfortable with it.
John: We just don’t decide to take a step because it’s kind of the unknown. We get stuck, we get frozen, we get paralysis because of this fear of, OK, I’m going to be uncomfortable because I don’t know exactly what’s going to happen. I don’t know all the steps in the process. I don’t know where I’m at a park. I don’t know where my terminal is. I don’t know where my gate is. I don’t know how long the security lines are going to be. I don’t know, you know, blah, blah, blah. And because of that, it’s uncomfortable. But then when we get into it, it’s amazing how fast we get comfortable with things that we’re comfortable with. And I’m not just talking about going to the airport, I’m talking about everything.
John: So when you just think for a minute about the thing that’s hanging in your head, that’s a step you want to take, whatever it is, that decision you want to make, that new job, you want to take the trip, you want to take whatever it is, something that’s holding you back because of this discomfort, you feel like it’s stepping outside your normal comfort zone. And it may be, but that’s a great thing.
John: And it’s unbelievable how when you do that, how what used to make you uncomfortable is really second nature and comfortable to you. I mean, what I’m doing right now, God, the thought I remember back at the beginning of 2020 when somebody was telling me, how are you going to do a podcast, I think it was the end of 2019. Get to do a podcast and here’s what I’m going to do. I’m like a podcast. What. I don’t know, I don’t know, I love speaking to. A group, but speaking to a microphone and just a camera, and that’s it. I don’t know, what am I going to talk about? I don’t even I don’t you know, I do these presentations. I plan an hour meticulously and blah, blah, blah, and I give it my all. But I don’t know the first thing about doing podcasting.
John: So honestly, it was like it took me months to kind of get it going and do it and pull the trigger on it. And now you know what? It doesn’t really it doesn’t. I enjoy it. I love it. And I’ve done a hundred and 70-plus episodes and it’s second nature. So what used to be super uncomfortable is really nothing. So think about those things that you’re shying away from and just try them. I promise you it will actually become more comfortable. And if you have any bit of success, listen to my prior episode. I think it’s two episodes ago about how to triple your confidence. If you have any bit of success, which I will promise you, you will. If you do it enough, then it is an unbelievable confidence booster. And that’s how people achieve unbelievable things. That’s how people create an unbelievable life for themselves.
John: They do the things that other people aren’t willing to do. They take the chances that other people are willing to take. They make the decisions other people aren’t willing to take. They’re not complacent. They’re not satisfied with staying within that comfort zone. And unfortunately, 95% of society and nothing. No, no wrong with this, but 95% of people are just comfortable being comfortable. They don’t want to do anything that’s going to make them uncomfortable. That’s OK. There’s nothing wrong with that. But if you’re somebody that has big goals and you want the best things in life, you have big dreams, you’ve got big goals, big life ambitions, you have to be comfortable getting uncomfortable, do new things, try new hobbies, try new activities, try new responsibilities, try new relationships, try new jobs, try
new things that at first make you uncomfortable and over time that will become very natural and very comfortable. OK, so think about that.
John: So any event, again, another short episode, some thoughts. Wanted to share that now. 10:40 at night, how to get some sleep I get some shut-eye. So I’m ready for this flight and this, this, this trip. So Navot hope you enjoyed this today as always. Subscribe like share. Let me know your thoughts on topics you’d like to hear. Let me know your own stories. I’d love to hear some stories from you. Hey, I’ll have you on maybe as a guest, if your story is good enough. Or maybe I’ll just tell it. I’ll share it. I’ll give you some credit, whatever. I’d love you to be part of this podcast. So, yes, I’m talking to you. You know who I’m talking to. All right. So enjoy it. Stay healthy. Stay safe again. Go down below, give five star reviews. I love those. And I’ll look forward to talking with you next time. Thanks, everybody. Bye.
John (Closing): Thanks for joining us on today’s episode of Tomorrow’s Leader. For suggestions, or inquiries, about having me at your next event, or personal coaching, reach me at john@lauritogroup.com Once again, that’s john@lauritogroup.com. Thanks! Lead on!
