The School of Greatness - 390 Play Big

Episode Date: October 8, 2016

"A ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what a ship is built for." If you enjoyed this episode, check out show notes and more at http://lewishowes.com/390

Five Minute Friday, episode number 390, and it's time to play big. Someone once said, a ship is safe in harbor, but that's not what a ship is built for. Last week, I hosted the Summit of Greatness in my hometown of Columbus, Ohio, and what an incredible experience it was. We created magic. Hosting an event like this was way out of my comfort zone, but guess what? I planned it anyways. I was scared, but I put the down payment down.

I got everyone on board. I committed to my vision. I reverse engineered my vision and brought it to life. And now hundreds of people flew from all over the world to Columbus, Ohio to share this amazing weekend together. And some said it was the greatest event they've ever been to and others said it was the best weekend of their life. Now, had I stayed comfortable? Had I played small? had I played safe, the lives that were impacted and the experiences that were had would have never happened.

But by me and my team stepping up to do something that was so big for us, that was super scary for us and was uncomfortable for us, we created magic for others. We created the space and the experience for others to step out of their comfort zone and for them to play big. You see, we weren't born to live a comfortable life, to play small, to do nothing, to impact no one, to get zero bruises and die with all of our potential inside of us. We were born for greatness and that means playing big. Do something that scares you.

If you're not doing something that scares you, you're not growing. What is in your comfort zone? What is it? The things that you do every single day that give you no chills, no goosebumps, no flutters in your stomach because it's easy and small. That's what's inside your comfort zone. Now, what is possible if you step out of it and start playing big? An epic life of meaning and impact is what's possible. Now, each year, I plan to do something big and grow. Before the year begins, I think about what have I not done that scares me? What have I not

done that would step me out of my comfort zone, that would help me play bigger in my life, that would stretch me, grow me, make me super uncomfortable, that scares the crap out of me? I think about these things. Maybe I'm a little crazy because I think about these things, but because I think about them, plan them, and do them, I grow so much. I set myself up for structured pain, and maybe that's a little crazy, but it's what helps me get bigger. It's what helps me grow, learn, develop, explore, expand. learn, develop, explore, expand. It's what helps me play big and live a great life for myself. For example, when I was in high school, I said, I want to be an all-American athlete. That scared me. So I said, I need to do whatever it takes to make that happen. I started planning for it. I started training for it. I started sacrificing for it. I did the things that other kids and

student athletes were unwilling to do to get ready for it. I had a lot that other kids and student athletes were unwilling to do to get ready for it. I had a lot of pain, a lot of sacrifices, but man, I grew and I learned so much. Talk about when I started my business, I said, you know what? I want to separate myself from all the other people in my industry. I want to write a book that's a New York Times bestseller that really makes an impact and not just put something together quickly and try to get it up on Amazon and just have some crappy thing that a lot of people do, but really write a physical book, go for the big publisher, go for the big advance, get an agent, do all the things that are uncomfortable for me and see what I can create by reverse engineering

this other dream to showing myself what's possible and others what's possible. This year, it was a big live event. When everyone said events, there's no money in events. It's too much work. It's a lot going on. It's going to take you away from your business. I said, you know what?

I'm going to do the thing that others are unwilling to do. The uncomfortable thing that is going to, again, differentiate myself from all the other people who aren't willing to sacrifice that much, who aren't willing to do what it takes to create incredible experiences, who want to just sit behind a laptop all day and just write emails and experience people that way as opposed to bringing a community together. Because for me, that's where impact and meaning comes when we all come together to create a shared experience. And yes, it was a lot of work. And yes, it took a year of planning. And yes, it took a ton of money to produce with my team, with their hours, hard costs, all these things.

But wow, for one weekend, we created an incredible experience of magic that people will remember for the rest of their lives. People are talking about saying how it awakens something inside of them. We can't always create those experiences behind the laptop or just on voice like this. We can't create certain experiences unless we come together. There's something magical that happens when everything comes together. The same thing with my dream of going to the Olympics. I had a scary big dream of playing big and making the Olympics.

And it's been a six-year journey of originally moving to New York City to learn the sport of handball, then traveling the world, then going to Spain to play professionally, then going with the USA national team on all these different trips to develop myself, sacrificing freedom, sacrificing a comfortable lifestyle,

sacrificing sleep, all these things I've done to step out of my comfort zone. But in the process, we haven't even qualified for the Olympics, but in the process, I have developed, I have grown, I've inspired myself, I've inspired my teammates, I've inspired my family, my team, and other listeners and followers of my journey to show people what's possible by me exploring the possibility of playing big, by putting myself out there, by stretching, by growing, by doing things that excite me, that scare me, that are meaningful to me, I'm able to impact others. And you're able to do the same. When you step out of your comfort zone,

you give people permission to live a great life. And that is a powerful example in itself. Max Dupree said, we cannot become what we want to be by remaining what we are. Who do you want to be? Dream it. Declare it. And deliver it today. And share with me on social media who and what you're going to do and be to play big. My name is Lewis Howes.

Thank you guys so much for being here for this 5-Minute Friday. It's time to play big, guys. If you've been holding back in your life, if you haven't been stepping up, it's time to play big. Find an accountability partner. Find a mentor. Find someone that inspires you that you can support each other in playing big. Give each other challenges. Give each other challenges to step up,

to be called forth into life, to start taking on life in a new way. Not from a comfortable place, not from a safe place where you can get no bruises, but where you're going to get banged up a little, where you're going to get beaten a little emotionally, mentally, physically, where you're going to get some bruises and some pain

so you can grow. The only way to grow is to experience some type of pain, some type of stretching, some type of dis-ease so you can create growth and become stronger and inspire more people. Step up today. If you are inspired by this message, then please share it out with your friends. then please share it out with your friends, lewishouse.com slash 390. The title is Play Big. Just say Play Big with that link and send it out on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, everyone on social media, and tag me at lewishouse. I want to hear what you're going to do to play big today and start playing big in your life.

So let me know as well. Message me anywhere on social media you like, at lewishouse. We do this every single Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. If this is your first time here, make sure to subscribe because we've got some incredible guests on the podcast coming up. And we've had 390 incredible episodes before this. So make sure to start listening to the previous episodes and get this in your queue for every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday moving forward. I love you guys so very much. We could not build this incredible community of greatness without you.

So thank you for stepping up. Thank you for playing big. And you know what time it is. It's time to go out there and do something great. Thank you. Outro Music