Lately, I’ve been contemplating what it takes to overcome inertia. Maybe it’s because the lazy days of summer are over, or my mind being more attuned to the transformational themes of the Jewish new year.

Regardless, I’ve noticed that many clients, loved ones, and even yours truly, are doing the ambivalence dance with the one hard thing we all recognize as ultimately necessary to improve our lives, from initiating a risky but necessary conversation with a loved one to taking steps to change a career, or kicking a bad habit.

Ironically, many of us don’t think twice about pushing ourselves to the point of pain and exhaustion at the gym. Yet when life pushes us to exercise our emotional, spiritual and mental muscles, we often would prefer lighter, gentler, no-impact routines.

But until we are willing to push ourselves beyond our comfort zone, we will remain stunted, unable to reach the full strength of what we are capable of experiencing, whether in our career, relationships or communities.

http://www.amazon.com/Step-Out-Your-Story-Exercises/dp/1608682323