On Wednesdays, I share posts, fables, songs, poems, quotations, TEDx Talks, cartoons, and books that have inspired and motivated me on my writing journey. I hope these posts will give writers, artists, and other creatives a mid-week boost.

Here’s a thought-provoking excerpt from What It Takes by award-winning entrepreneur Zahra Al-harazi:

Larry Alton, a journalist for Huff Post, believes there are three big benefits to leaving your comfort zone.

You’ll overcome fear—the thing that holds us back most in life. Your mind tends to exaggerate what can go wrong. Commit to an adventurous spirit, and fear will cease to be a paralyzing factor in your decisions.

Your creativity will skyrocket. Your brain will get a workout. When it’s flexed and challenged to really think, your creative side is stimulated, which affects every area of your life.

You’ll learn about yourself. No matter your age, if you’ve been living the same day on repeat for many years, you’re probably missing out on some of your unique likes and dislikes. Consider that you don’t know yourself as well as you could. As you experiment, you’ll naturally recognize who you are and who you want to become.

So live a little. Do some things that are out of character, and risk loving them. They might be delicious.

Source: What It Takes, Page 327