Can you turn left?

In the comedy Zoolander, Ben Stiller’s character was the biggest supermodel in the world. But he is challenged to a walkoff by his rival and he loses. He reveals after, that he lost because of his big weakness; a weakness he has been ashamed of since he was a baby.

He can’t turn left on the catwalk. 

To him, it is the biggest black mark against his name as a supermodel. At the end of the movie, he learns that he must push past his fears in order to become the model he believed he could be. He finally is able to turn left and save the day.

How often do we shy away from the thing we think we can’t do? The best leaders were able to “turn left” and do that one thing they feared most. Eleanor Roosevelt, the former US First Lady, was terrified of public speaking. But she turned herself into a formidable public speaker that inspired the hearts and minds of millions. Billionaire Sarah Blakely was rejected by every intimate apparel manufacturer in North Carolina before she found one to support her project.

You will have situations where you will be terrified to take action. You might be afraid to deliver that 10th pitch to investors after getting rejected the previous 9 nine times. Or you might be afraid to confront a colleague over some inappropriate comments made in a meeting. Or you might be scared to share with your team the real situation in the company.

But you must find a way to push past your fears. Because, are you the type that lets that fear define you forever? Or will you rise above it and do the thing that frightens you? In other words…

Can you turn left?