COLUMN: Stepping outside your zone

When I was a junior in high-school, I saw a poster at our local grocery store advertising the Jr. Miss pageant for my city. Pageants were never something I paid any attention to, but for some reason I looked closer at the poster and read the qualifications. You had to be in the summer between your junior and senior year, living in the city and available for the training and orientation dates.

The qualifications were so specific that if I ever wanted the experience of being in a pageant, I had to sign up that day.

So I did.

My goal was not to win. I knew nothing about pageants, I had no intention of doing another pageant, but I knew it was something I could only do once.

Two days later, I was at an orientation meeting with my mother and I was officially a pageant contestant. After spending hours in rehearsals and training and hundreds of dollars on an interview outfit, evening gown and a talent dress, the night ended without a crown, but I had a great experience meeting new friends, performing in the auditorium and gaining a sense of confidence and accomplishment.

People who are successful don’t just sit and think about what they want to do.

They take action, they do something about it, they take chances, but every step they take puts them one step closer to the outcome they are looking for.

Sometimes the qualifications for something are so narrow that you’ve got to take advantage of opportunities as soon as you see them.

I had a friend who had 10 minutes of free time and noticed an opportunity to fill out a simple application for a scholarship.

He took the time, wrote down his name and a few other fields of information and handed the paper to the lady behind the desk.

Later, he was sent a check for $3,500.

The scholarship was only offered once, to one student.

He wasn’t looking for or expecting a scholarship, but he took advantage of an opportunity and he was rewarded.

Too many people are so worried about whether they are going to win or lose that they forget to play the game. People who consistently win are those who are willing to step outside of their comfort zone and try new things – they challenge themselves.

Sometimes taking a chance is something as simple as trying a new food or being willing to branch out and meet new people.

Go ahead and take on that class you’ve heard is a killer, fill out the scholarship application, apply for that internship or job you’ve got your eye on.

If you’ve always wanted to be a doctor or a lawyer, but never thought you were cut out for grad school, throw that idea out, take a risk and go see your academic adviser.

Don’t be scared of life, leave behind the safe, the unchallenging and the familiar in order to gain more in the end.

If you don’t act now, soon you’ll miss your chance and you’ll no longer qualify for the opportunity.

I sat down at the bus stop recently and was shortly joined by another girl whom I have never seen before.

It took her less than 10 seconds to start up a conversation with me, which continued through the 15 minutes we waited for the bus and the 10 minutes we were on the bus before we went our separate ways.

She didn’t know who I was, but that didn’t stop her from getting to know me.

She took a chance and reached out of her box.

Perhaps next time she meets someone at the bus stop and takes a chance by talking to them, it will be a professor who has a connection to get her a great job or a classmate that can help form a study group for the final.

Taking a chance will pay off if you’re willing to try.

Playing the game is a requirement if you want to move forward.

Waiting for life to pick you up on the way is not an option; you’ve got to take the initiative to get yourself there.

This is the time of our lives when we have the most opportunities available to us – take advantage of them.

Take the chance, get involved, work for what you want and be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

Emma Tippetts is a senior majoring in Law and Constitutional Studies and Print Journalism. Questions or comments can be sent to ETippetts@cc.usu.edu.