“I’m continually trying to make choices that put me against my own comfort zone. As long as you’re uncomfortable, it means you’re growing.” – Ashton Kutcher

Just like Ashton Kutcher’s quote (he was also a wrestler by the way), I am a believer that being uncomfortable brings growth.

About a month ago, I was reminded of some important lessons. I’m a long-time folkstyle (what we see in high school and college wrestling) youth coach and masters competitor, but I traveled to Las Vegas to compete in the U.S. Open Masters Greco-Roman National Championships – the biggest wrestling tournament in the country.

In full transparency, I’d never learned or tried Greco-Roman (an Olympic style that is all upper-body attacks) until the last few months. My experience was undeniably humbling, but I placed third and managed and tick another goal off my “bucket list.”

Quick lessons I (re)learned:

-We miss 100% of the shots we don’t take.

-Old dogs really can learn new tricks.

-We don’t have to do it alone; true coaches are always there for us (I found several to practice with before going, and three were with me, him mat-side).

-Success doesn’t often come in big ways; small steps and incremental improvement is the goal

-Facing fears — in whatever form they present themselves — makes them less powerful the next time.

What have you done outside your comfort zone lately?