“I’m gonna muster every ounce of confidence I have” – Teddy Geiger

This is post # 24 in my quest for 30 in 30.

So I had a great thing happen today. I’ve been practicing magic tricks for about 2 years now, mostly just for amusement but I had actually built a routine with a friend that we performed a few times before. I haven’t really done anything with it for quite a while and have admittedly gotten quite rusty. So another friend called me today and told me to check out an ad on Craigslist which called for people to audition for a commercial by performing card tricks. They required one trick of my choosing and one trick which they described. Luckily I already know the trick they’re asking for so I’m  figuring it will go pretty well. Later in the afternoon I got an e-mail from the casting agent with all of the information for the audition. It contained a review of the trick they wanted to see and all the when’s and where’s. What I was surprised to see was that it also included all the email addresses of the other people who would be auditioning for the same spot. This surprised me for a couple of reasons. Firstly because I was surprised they would let that information fly around, but mostly because I recognized several of the names. Remember, I was in the business for a little while so I got to know some of the performers and the people I’m auditioning against are some of the very best magicians in the city. These are people who’s sole occupation is performing magic.

Now, there might have been a day when I would have considered bowing out. Being grossly outmatched is never a comfortable place to be. Still, it took me all of about three seconds to turn it all around. What normally would have seemed like an exercise in futility now looks to me like an awesome challenge. I’m about to test my mediocre chops against some of the best in the business. See, the difference between how I see things now and how I would have lies in the standards that I’ve set for myself. When I set my standards of living I committed to living the best life I possibly can. That invariably involves taking risks but in accepting nothing but the best for myself I’ve learned to overcome any fear that may have at one time thrust me back into the arms of complacency.

Living is risky. There’s no way to live a better life if you keep doing the same things that you’ve been comfortable doing for years. You have to get outside the comfort zone and expand it. You are the Magellan and the Columbus of your life. You need to take your comfort zone and push it’s boundaries. Lay claim to new territories of your life and soon your comfort zone will become a comfort nation. Your comfort zone will be the next superpower if you just commit to never being satisfied with the status quo. When you have confidence  of that magnitude you are a sheer force of nature and nothing can standing your way.

Always be searching and discovering the new worlds that raising your standards of living will bring. Live fully, have no fear and  go out there and plant your flag in your brave new world.

Thanks for being here. Talk to you tomorrow.
-JB
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Today’s Music: For You I Will (Confidence)
By: Teddy Geiger
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