Mallory Cecil
One of my favorite quotes is, “Get comfortable with being outside of your comfort zone. That is the only way to grow.” And in my experience, it is not just growth you experience, but more accurately, expedited growth! The Perfect Game Foundation has helped me all along the way from IMG Academy to Grad School in the UK then
After 6 years at my first job, I came to the realization that I was uncomfortable in my comfort zone. I actually did not like being comfortable and was hungry for new learning and new growth opportunities. Now, I do not want you to think that I always felt that way in my job. Rather, up until that point, I had gone through several challenging growth spurts where I had been thrown out of my comfort zone and had to rise for the occasion. And though I did not know it at the time, reflecting back, I can see how each new challenge that I was presented during my time there was actually a strategically placed stepping stone that was preparing me to handle a future promotion and new challenges.
In my previous “In Her Own Words”, I shared how I was going through a current transition in my sports career and found myself gravitating towards the world of Technology and Project Management. Never would I have imagined myself having a career in tech, but I was open to exploring the unknown. With zero experience, I jumped in with both feet. I was committed to serving my colleagues and the business with excellence, and working hard to learn as much as I possibly could to succeed. The competitor in me thrives in the sink or swim situations. And turns out, I really love working on software development projects!
Fast forward several months, and I am now 6 weeks into my new job at a sports tech company, called Universal Tennis, serving as their Director of Product Operations, and let me tell you, it is anything but comfortable. I am being stretched in significant ways, but at the same time can already feel how much I have learned and grown in just a short 6 weeks. I am challenged by the people I work with and the goals that are set before me. Yet, I am incredibly happy. I know I am my best self when I am learning and growing outside of my comfort zone. Pushing myself to expand my mind and come up with new and creative ways to help others and achieve my goals.
Never stop learning and never stop looking for new ways to get outside of your comfort zone! Because that is truly where the magic within yourself happens.
A huge thank you to The Perfect Game Foundation and Del for always encouraging my pursuits and helping me in whatever way possible!