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James McPartland

Discomfort in Disguise

"The place inside of you where your greatest fear resides is exactly where your most powerful opportunity hides"

- James McPartland


Access Point:  Discomfort in Disguise | Blog post by James McPartland | Speaker, Author, Executive Coach

Walking head-on into the very things that scare you is how to reclaim your forgotten power. You are the source, the generator, the origin, and the reason for every interpretation of what is happening in your life. Until you decide you are responsible for everything (by choosing to be responsible to everything no matter where the fault lies), you will not take the action steps necessary to master the game of life.


Are you "all in" for living the life you truly desire? Do the results you are generating demonstrate that you are thinking big enough, acting often enough, and persisting more than enough? Or, are you being "realistic"? Realistic thinking is based on what others think is possible-- people who have no way of knowing the depth of your potential.


At the poker table of life, you always have an abundant pile of chips. These chips are effort, creativity, energy, ideas, and resilience. You never run out of these action chips or use up all of your energy and effort chips when you truly commit yourself.

So the question is: Are you interested in playing and living a powerful life, or are you committed to it? If you are interested, you will do what is convenient. If you are committed, you will do whatever it takes. No matter the size of your goals, or the resistance that arises as you pursue your dreams, you can go "all in" with your action, creativity, and idea chips as many times as you want. Even if you fail, keep going "all in"!


As you think about your various pain points, where does your greatest discomfort lie?


What are the beliefs that disturb you?

What are the feelings that threaten you?


What are the projects that unnerve you?


What are the talents that frighten you?


Who are the people that intimidate you?


Do you fear criticism? To some degree, we all do. When criticism arises for me, I remind myself that critics are often people whose excuses for not doing enough become reasons for why what others are doing is wrong. I know if I listen to the critics, even the one that sounds like my own voice, I am allowing myself an excuse to play small. Excuses are for people who refuse to take responsibility for their lives and how it all turns out. Excuses never improve the conditions of our lives.


The grade of work you offer to the world reflects the strength of the respect you have for yourself. Go "all-in" on yourself. Shadows of insecurity dissolve in the warm sunshine of persistence. Anyone can be a critic, play small, and hide from their greatest fears.


But what about you? Will you walk head-on into the disguise of discomfort and reclaim your forgotten power?


There is a ton of competition at all that is ordinary, and almost none at extraordinary. It takes guts to create the masterpiece that resides on the other side of the fear that it uses as its favorite disguise.

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