Some time ago, I decided I was an excellent second. I mean, who is Robin Hood without Little John? Or Hook without Schmee? How about Jobs without Woz? Maybe even King Arthur without Merlin?

Do any of these people really succeed without their second in commands?

The other day, I was doing dishes recently and realized I was using this as a crutch. I was not having hard conversations because I was a second. I was allowing myself to not take the lead in my own life because I was the second. I was letting the “firsts” push me out of the way.

Not literally.

Literally, I have been thinking of very smart ideas and then saying, “That will never work.”

Or I have been thinking of the right moves to make and disqualifying myself before I even twitch in the right direction.

I am not an arrogant person. When I say, ‘…very smart ideas.’ I mean something like, having my car looked at when it is acting a little weird. A real genius idea…right!?

No sooner than I thought of this idea had I talked myself out of it because it could never work.

I bought into a lie about who I am. I sold myself short because of a mental spasm to a good idea. I canceled my own ability to succeed.

Pretty much the only reason I can come up with for why it is so easy to talk myself out of these ideas is fear.

Fear of failure.

Fear of doing it wrong.

Fear of letting other people down.

Fear of the unknown.

However, whether I am a first, a second, or a ten millionth. No position allows me the right to not do my part, try things I am afraid of doing, and push my own limits.

I think I am very comfortable. I am too comfortable.

How do you sell yourself short? Where are you too comfortable? Where do you stop yourself from doing things you’re afraid of doing?

Uncomfortably,

–JT

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