written by
Jara Dekker

Advice to a 23-year old: Be scared. Be wildly uncomfortable...

SuperHero Academy 3 min read

...and love every moment of it!

I know this sounds crazy. Who loves being scared and uncomfortable? We have literally evolved into beings whose very existence is based around avoiding this exact feeling. The world has become a place where 'comfortably numb' is the norm and those who go out looking for terrifying situations in which to [sometimes literally] fling themselves are generally labeled 'adrenaline junkies' and called crazy.

But I want to let you in on a little secret. The "crazies" have the right idea!
No, I'm not saying throw yourself out of the plane next time you're flying. But stepping out into the uncomfortable, risking mistakes, failure, embarrassment, that's where growth and experience are!

Find People. Find places. Find Spaces, and ideas and topics that make you wildly uncomfortable. Find the things that literally feel inside like- some form of anxiousness, some form of desperation- something that scares you, something that excites you at the exact same time. Find that! And DO IT! Go out there and take the leap, go out there and just make the mistake.
- Marc Angelo Coppola

Many go through life trying their best to never leave the safe zone, but really what is there to learn there? You can go to the top schools, buy the best coaching there is, read all the books, but you will never really change, never truly learn and develop until you have faced your fears, until you have stepped out of your comfort zone.

“If you want to improve, be content to be thought foolish and stupid.”
- Epictetus
Founder of Valhalla and SuperHero Academy, Marc Angelo Coppola, shares his advice to a 23 year old.

This isn't a new concept: It can be found repeatedly in the ancient mythology of the Greeks, the Romans, and the Vikings. Modern history is full of stories speaking to this effect. Wise philosophers and great leaders like Marcus Aurelius, Seneca, Nelson Mandela, Steve Jobs have given this same advice. Twitter, instagram and facebook are overloaded with #inspirational quotes like "Everything you want is on the other side of fear", "Life begins at the end of your comfort zone".

Success is found when you take the leap, when you are the most real version of yourself. Finding that place of wild uncomfortableness and excitement, allowing it to teach and guide you will make you so much richer. Whether it be in monetary value or experience, honestly in my opinion you can't really lose.
I can genuinely say, my life has gotten progressively better and better since Fear and I have become the best of friends. I know, who am that you should believe me? Honestly, I'm no one. You shouldn't just take my word for it, go out and try it for yourself! You won't be alone, I promise. There's an entire world full of us out here conducting the exact same experiment!

"Go out there and do what scares you, go out there and live that dream, go out there and travel and explore. And in it all, find your tribe. Find the people who you feel excite you, find the people who you can't get enough of, find the people who you want to ask questions to endlessly. Find the people who make you, the best version of you!"
- Marc Angelo Coppola

Experience everything life has to offer, maybe come back to those dreams you had as a kid or a teen or even yesterday.
They might not be as impossible as you think! ;)

Create your Impossible List here or come find your tribe at the SuperHero Academy.

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