A few years ago, I was walking to the stage to speak at an event.

I saw this on the ground and stopped dead in my tracks.

stage

It might just look like tape at first, but this it’s actually a lot more than that.

This is the decision you have to make every day if you’re going to chase a dream.

[Tweet “Every day you face the same decision, take the stage or take the exit. Choose stage. “]

Your stage might be different, but we all have one.

Maybe for you it’s sending an email to a literary agent.

Or filing an LLC for your business.

Or signing up for a night class.

Or applying for a new position at the company you currently work at.

Or simply ignoring the voices that ask you “who are you to chase a dream?”

Dreams, or stages as it were, come in a million shapes and sizes. And every day you have to make the decision, will you take the stage or take the exit? Some days, when fear is a roar, I feel like I have to choose the stage every single hour.

The exit is easier. It’s faster and more comfortable and a lot safer. Your feelings won’t get hurt as often if you take the exit. People won’t laugh at you if you take the exit. If anything they’ll welcome you with open arms. Average loves company.

Heading for the exit would be the easier thing to do, but I don’t think you should.

I think you should take the stage. Forget think, I more than think you should take the stage, I dare you to take the stage.

Today, I dare you to go right. To take out a piece of paper and draw two arrows like the one in the photo. Post the note on your laptop. Draw it on your bathroom mirror with a dry erase marker. Make it the wallpaper on your laptop or the lock screen on your phone. Hashtag it everywhere with #takethestage if you want other people to cheer you on. Do whatever you need to remind yourself you have a choice.

Because you do.

Every day, we get a decision.

Take the stage.

Question:
What’s one simple way you can take the stage today?