Designing a passionate life requires that you step out of your comfort zone and take a chance. How often have you really wanted to do something and didn't do it because you felt self-conscious? If you take a really close look at self-consciousness, it usually stems from fear. The fear can come from not knowing how to do something, not being able to make a decision, or being afraid of looking foolish if you fail.

I am passionate about spending time on the water and I remember when I wanted to learn how to sail. I was really nervous about which sailboat to buy and then learning how to sail it. I was worried that I would pick the wrong boat and I wouldn't be able to sail it. As a result of this fear, I did a lot of research and spent a lot of time trying to decide on the perfect boat and created a lot of stress for myself.

Looking back on it, I realize that my indecision stemmed from fear. I was afraid that if I didn't pick the right sailboat and couldn't sail it that it meant that I made a mistake; I'd look foolish, and be labeled a failure. So many times we let our fears keep us from doing what we love to do because we are worried about feeling foolish, making a mistake or failing. Trying something and failing is not failure. Not trying something because you are afraid to feel self-conscious as you learn, is failing yourself.

By the way, I finally purchased a Laser, learned how to sail it and had an absolute blast sailing it all by myself. I made mistakes and tipped over frequently in the learning process but I had a lot of fun doing it. All that worry and fear was for nothing.

What opportunities or wants have you passed up because you didn't want to take a chance? What have you missed out on? What opportunities are you facing right now and hesitating to take action on? How often have you held yourself back from following your passions? Take a moment and imagine that you have absolutely no fear. What one action step would you take to move towards living your passions?