I admit it. I’m a self-help geek.

I’ve done everything from the mundane (books, seminars, coaching) to the extreme (ziplining, fire eating, board breaking) in the name of personal development.

So when I had the opportunity to walk on broken glass, I jumped at the chance.

You may be scratching your head, wondering WHY anyone would volunteer to walk barefoot across a 15 foot platform covered with broken glass? When I felt that first CRUNCH underfoot, I asked myself the same thing!

But it turned out the hardest part wasn’t the act of putting one foot in front of the other. It was overcoming the fear.

Here are some important life lessons that became very clear during this exercise:

• Getting started is always the hardest part. The first step was terrifying! But each step got much easier. Trying anything new is like that.

• Facing your fears is straightest path to overcoming them. Like Nike says – “Just Do It.” No matter what you’re afraid of, the answer almost always lies in these 3 simple words. Take an action that scares you and it will set you free.

• Find validation from those who have already done what you want to accomplish. Walking on glass without cutting your feet doesn’t seem possible! But witnessing others do it – with no screaming or bleeding involved – the impossible becomes possible.

• Listen to others more experienced than you. One attendee ignored an important tip and got glass in her foot. Ouch! That’s learning the hard way. Have you ever had to learn things the hard way? Yeah, me too.

• Pay attention. Walking on glass safely requires concentrating fully on the task at hand. Always an excellent idea … no matter what you’re doing.

• Take risks. You can always find reasons to justify wimping out. I’m sure you can think of several logical reasons to NOT walk on glass. It will hurt. You could get cut. You could get an infection. You could DIE!!! As Richard Bach wrote in his personal development class Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah, “Argue for your limitations, and sure enough, they’re yours.”

• Invest in yourself. Successful people don’t read one book or attend one seminar and call it a life. Because they realize that for every hour and dollar spent on personal development, they’ll be rewarded many times over with increased productivity, happiness, and self-fulfillment.

What’s the most extreme action you’ve ever taken for personal development? Please share below. We’d all love to hear about it!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Deane Alban holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and has taught and written on a wide variety of natural health topics for over 20 years. She teaches the best ways to stay mentally sharp for life at her website BeBrainFit.com. Learn the top ways to nourish your brain and optimize your brainpower – sign up for her e-course “21 Days to a Brighter Brain”.