Get out of your comfort zone

I've come a long way since then. I've been recognized by my peers in the Quebec software industry for hospitals as someone who gives top notch service.

However, expressing my opinions on business matters eluded me. Until I learned how my good friend Andy Anderson deals with people who dare say a business is ethical when it clearly isn't.

That was 3 months ago.

Day by day since then, I took chances at expressing my thoughts when I felt something wasn't right. First at IMfaceplate, when I dared say to a member sending me a PM with an unsolicited link that it was spam.

I was choosing my words very carefully, at first, afraid to get a bad reputation, making sure what I was saying was the truth, but saying it nice and gentle.

Only a few complained, saying they had the right to send a link since I had started following them.

At ApSense, I have made my "coming out".

Not only did I start to report abuses, I mentioned I was doing it. Right in the next comment.

Little by little, I got more guts. I found myself posting in comments that I expected more information when the person had written a short one-paragraph blog.

Am I a hero ? Am I better than the guy next door ? Or am I simply foolish ? Won't I alienate the members to whom I suggest to work harder on their blogs ?

It hasn't happened. Many times, either the people appreciate the comment, or they make the modifications anyway, cause other members say the same things I did.

If I sound like "Look, I know what I'm doing", you misinterpret my intentions.

What I'm trying to say is, it is possible to get out or your comfort zone.

I could have chosen to write general things on the subject.

Instead, I described my journey toward doing just that.

My comfort zone in IM has expanded.

I'll leave you with one last thought I've read in many success books and articles :