Ep. 91 The Stern Truth: Time to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone?

Why do we stay in our comfort zones? Is it because we’re scared to move forward into the unknown?

When we step outside of our comfort zone, we tend to grow. If we push ourselves, we tend to grow. I know I grew after I closed my sign and graphics business and focused on my coaching business and this very podcast. 

That commitment to change is what I call an ONtrepreneur Method shift, going from being uncomfortable being uncomfortable to being comfortable being uncomfortable. If that doesn't make sense, stay with me.
I made the decision last year to step into the uncomfortable. I chose to start speaking more. Opportunities came up this year, and I couldn’t be more excited about them. It goes back to episode 88, the “Leap of Faith Day” episode with Carmen Leibel where we both took significant “Leaps of Faith” to change our careers. We did something different to go after our respective passions, and those leaps paid off.
So, my question to you is, what does that look like for you? What could that leap of faith be for you? And what I think is the most important question - is it time for you to step outside of your comfort zone? 

There’s no better time than now.

I would love to hear your feedback on this or any episode. Send any comments or questions to me at marshall@marshallstern.net. 

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Transcript

[00:00:00] Marshall Stern: Hi, I'm Marshall Stern and I've spent over 35 years leading and growing multiple small businesses. I know firsthand the struggles of entrepreneurship, feeling isolated, lonely, overwhelmed, and feeling like you have to do it all by yourself. I've been through multiple recessions, and I have felt the highs and the lows.

[00:00:24] I've been there, and I get it. This podcast is here to change that. Every week I will bring you straight talking advice, real world strategies, and honest conversations about what it takes to succeed in business without the fluff, the gimmicks, or the sugar-coated. If you're ready to stop spinning your wheels and start making real progress, then you are in the right place.

[00:00:47] This is The Stern Truth. 

[00:00:52] All right. Welcome back, my friends, to another episode of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. Now, it's been a few weeks since it was just you and I, and the reason being is, well, there's been some changes around here, not at The Stern Truth, but behind the scenes, and I'm going to get into that, into just, in just a few moments because it's all about what I'm here to talk to you about.

[00:01:11] So just a couple of weeks ago, I had a very special guest, episode 88, and it was... the title of the episode is June 30th is Leap of Faith Day. So, I highly recommend if you haven't heard episode 88, to go back and listen to that. I'm not going to get into the details of it, but the overall story is that on June 30th, 2023, both my guest Carmen and myself made some significant changes, taking a leap of faith, moving from, in Carmen's case, her career into her own business, and in my case, from my sign and graphics company, which I sold.

[00:01:48] And June 30th, 2023, was my final day, is that leap of faith time. I was able to focus on my coaching, leadership, mentorship company, and thus, more recently, a year and a half ago, launching this podcast, The Stern Truth. And along the way, group coaching programs, more one-on-one coaching clients, so on and so forth.

[00:02:11] So that was Leap of Faith Day. We've also talked about stepping outside of our comfort zone. That's where the growth happens. You've seen the infographics. You've, you've read that before. When we step outside of our comfort zone, we tend to grow. If we push ourselves, we tend to grow. And one of the commitments I made to myself back in November, and we've talked about this here on Stern Truth, and it's one of our ONtrepreneur Method shifts.

[00:02:38] It's the shift from being uncomfortable being uncomfortable to being comfortable being uncomfortable, if you understood that one. And so, I decided in November, that, in 2026 and beyond, I would step into that. I would become comfortable being uncomfortable if it was in line with where I wanted to go personally and professionally.

[00:03:03] So one of my big objectives was to get out there and to speak more I did that several times in person. I've done it behind the camera many times, workshops, webinars, group programs, the podcast, being on other people's podcasts. But on the other side of the camera or outside of the camera, it was a bit of my uncomfortable zone.

[00:03:26] But I became comfortable with it, and I grew. And then more recently, I had an opportunity. I had this whole year planned out, and this is what I want to talk to you about because if you push yourself and step outside your comfort zone and you prepare... this is why I often don't go much further past a three-year plan.

[00:03:45] You can have a 10-year plan if you want, but I like to use a three-year plan, three-year vision, so to speak, because so many things can change. Case in point, I had my vision mapped out, and I'm still on track to it, but the route is slightly different, and I'll tell you why. An opportunity came up for me to step outside my comfort zone yet again, to push myself yet again, to take that leap of faith like I did three-plus years ago now, and to go inside of an organization that I'm deeply passionate about and help them drive revenue and working with their leadership team.

[00:04:21] And I made that decision, I would love to say on June 30th, but it was just three days before June 30th. I could Hollywoodize this and say it was on June 30th. But in reality, it was three... actually, sorry, my mistake, four days before. It was on the Friday before where the decision was made, and I said yes to this opportunity.

[00:04:43] Now, doesn't mean anything's changed with my business… slightly. Still have my coaching and mentorship business. It's all part of what I'm doing. But a big part of my focus is now with this one big organization and working with them to drive revenue, working with their leadership team, and of course, my amazing clients.

[00:05:02] So I have my, my one-to-one coaching clients and a group program, the ONtrepreneur Inner Circle, which is taking a, a hiatus for the summer, but we will be back. It might be a slightly different format from before, and I may adjust it, but it will be back. This episode's not about me. I want this episode to be about you.

[00:05:22] I want this episode to be about you looking within yourself. Are you taking a leap of faith? Have you had those opportunities? Are you putting yourself in the position to have those opportunities where you question, "Should I say yes? Should I say no? Should I go for it, or should I not?" And if it is in line with your why and your what, talk about it all the time, then take a leap of faith, my friend.

[00:05:49] Take a leap of faith and go for it. Step outside of that comfort zone of yours. Take the leap of faith. So, my question to you is what does that look like for you? What could that leap of faith be for you? It may not be what I went through three years ago in selling my business, doing something not different, because I was coaching at the time, but turning my focus to my coaching and mentorship business full time rather than splitting, splitting it with my sign and graphics company.

[00:06:21] It might not be, or it might be moving on from your career to do your business full time or setting that date where you leave your job. Or it might be something not as dramatic, not as life-changing. It might be something as simple as hiring that first employee, taking the leap of faith, trusting yourself.

[00:06:44] It might be stepping up your marketing in this recession, down economy, whatever you want to call it, being bold, being intentional, putting yourself out there more. It might be doing more video. It might be you launching your own podcast if it's in line with where you want to go. It might be hiring a business coach, a mentor, joining a program of support.

[00:07:09] What does it look like for you? Is it expansion? Is that the leap of faith? There's so much out there, so much noise, everyone telling us to do this and to do that. Sometimes we just need to step back, slow down, like I like to say, slow down in order to speed up. Six months ago, this opportunity that I have taken a hold of was not even...

[00:07:35] Even three months ago was not even on my radar. But because I put myself out there, because I was preparing myself, and in fact I've been preparing myself not knowingly for many years now for an opportunity like this, which is a little bit edgy for me. It is a little bit outside of my comfort zone, but it's within my genius zone.

[00:07:58] It's in, within my sweet spot. It's within my why and my what, and I've got this. But if I've, if I am honest with myself and with all of you, I questioned it from time to time. Is that the... Is it going to be the right decision? But I chose to take a leap of faith because it's within, in, it's within me, and because I'm passionate about the work, and I'm passionate about the client, so I'm betting on myself.

[00:08:26] That's what it comes down to. When you're taking a leap of faith, when you're stepping outside of your comfort zone, you're betting on yourself If you haven't been doing that, that's what I'm going to leave you with today. And I would love to hear back from you. I'd love to hear it in the comments. I'd love for you to send me email to marshall@marshallstern.net. 

[00:08:47] And please know nothing's going to change with The Stern Truth. We're going to still continue to have amazing guests. We're going to still continue to give you timely trainings, inspirational stories, experiences that I've had, and I'm going to have many, many, many more. It's going to continue to come to you fast and furious like we do, but I want to hear more from you.

[00:09:09] I want to hear where you maybe have been holding back a little bit, and maybe it's time for you to take a leap of faith in something. Again, it doesn't have to be this huge life-changing decision. Maybe it is, or maybe the decision could lead to something as dramatic as that. What have you been holding back doing?

[00:09:29] There's no time better than now. Just if it is in line with where you want to go, if it's in line with your why of why you do your business, your mission, and your what, your vision, what is holding you back?

[00:09:46] It's time, my friends, that we take a leap of faith. So, I want to hear from you, marshall@marshallstern.net or please comment below. And we'll see you again next week on another episode of The Stern Truth Business Unfiltered. Bye for now.

[00:10:04] Thank you so much for tuning in to the Stern Truth. If you found today's episode helpful, we would love to hear from you. Please like, share, and leave us a review. Also, if you'd like to be a guest in an upcoming episode or join us in one of our Momentum accountability group sessions, simply email me to marshall@marshallstern.net.

[00:10:25] That's marshall@marshallstern.net. And don't forget to hit the subscribe button so you never miss an episode. Until next time, keep pushing forward and leading with confidence.