I believe in stepping out of the comfort zone.
Throughout my entire life I have been a shy kid, like the kind of kid who is afraid to raise their hand in class. Often times being shy and standoffish has hindered my ability to pursue my passions and chase my career goals. Instead of branching out and chasing my dreams, I would stay in my comfort zone and watch opportunities pass me by. This sometimes forced me to consider putting my dreams on hold.
A prime example of this is from my senior year of high school. My peers and I participated in a program that exempted students from class to get work experience for a month before heading off to college. While my friends were networking for interesting and serious internships, I stayed in my comfort zone and chose to intern with a local business. It was a wake-up call that I had to be more aggressive in pursuit of my dreams and I needed to step out of my comfort zone to do so.
Last spring, I saw a tweet from the Penn State Football account about applying for an internship with the recruiting department, a perfect opportunity to help me break into the field of sports.
Initially I wasn’t sure if I would apply, I was nervous to fail and I wasn’t confident in my interviewing abilities. However, I thought back to high school and my wasted opportunities and knew I needed to step out of my comfort zone to make my dream a reality. I applied for the internship, made it to the interview and eventually was selected to be an intern for the football team.
It was a proud moment for me as it felt like my hard work was recognized. I was able to move away from my comfort zone and good things came as a result.
I’m only a few weeks into my internship and every day I remind myself about the positives that come from stepping out of the comfort zone. It is a relief to not have to think about what could’ve been had I stayed in my comfort zone and not applied. The opportunity to learn from former professional players and scouts has been unrivaled and has taught me a valuable lesson. The uncertainty of stepping out of the comfort zone may seem scary but it’s a shot worth taking.
I believe in stepping out of the comfort zone.