What’s Holding You Back?

I’m going to learn how to repair an old tractor!

Actually, let me backup…

When I was in early high school, I really really wanted to study car mechanics. My high school had a shop and I was fascinated by the students coming up the stairs with grease on their hands. So I signed up for the following semester’s mechanics class.

The day has come. I take a deep breath. I walk down the stairs, open the door, and step inside.

You know that moment in Westerns where the v̶i̶l̶l̶a̶i̶n̶ hero walks into the saloon and everything comes to a screeching silence? Yup.

Truthfully, I can still feel their stares even though their names were forgotten long ago. I immediately felt like I didn’t belong. I immediately felt like I’d made a huge mistake.

In retrospect, who knows what would’ve happened if I’d stayed. But I didn’t. I hightailed it out of there mumbling something about the wrong classroom.

Flash forward to 2023.

The local historical museum is putting on a multi-day workshop on how to maintain antique machinery — including old tractors. And yours truly has signed up for mechanics for the first time since 1991!

I’m excited.
And I’m nervous.

But what I know now that 13 year old me didn’t know is in a room of hooligans, there is almost always an ally.

Also:
✨ Learning is valuable no matter when it happens.
✨ The best leaders push their edges.
✨ Even if it seems like it’s unrelated to business, stretching yourself has a ripple effect throughout every area of your life.

That thing you’ve always wanted to do. What is it? What’s holding you back?

Drop a comment and let me know. I’ll reply as soon as I’ve washed the tractor grease off my hands.