Take the Opportunity That Scares You
Use discomfort as a signal to pursue career-building opportunities
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~months to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 96%
This decision rule treats career-related discomfort as a potential marker of growth rather than automatic evidence that an opportunity is unsuitable. When an assignment is challenging, intimidating, or likely to expose a skill gap, first test whether it advances a meaningful goal and whether its risks are manageable. If it passes those checks, accept it and prepare deliberately instead of waiting to feel confident. Meyer illustrates the mechanism through early television appearances: media requests initially produced anxiety and avoidance impulses, but taking them increased her visibility and strengthened her ability to communicate economic ideas. Repeated exposure converts an intimidating activity into a practiced capability, and the resulting visibility can create further opportunities. The framework therefore produces a reinforcing cycle of challenge, preparation, competence, credibility, and advancement.
Origin
Michelle Meyer described how accepting intimidating television appearances early in her Wall Street career improved her visibility and communication skills on Masters in Business.
Core principles
- 01Treat fear as information rather than a stop signal
- 02Expect meaningful growth to feel uncomfortable
- 03Build capability by accepting visible challenges
- 04Use repeated exposure to turn anxiety into competence
How to run it
- 1
Notice the avoidance signal
Identify opportunities that trigger an immediate desire to hide, decline, delay, or invent a scheduling conflict. Treat that response as a prompt for evaluation rather than a final decision.
Pro tip Write down the specific outcome you fear so that vague anxiety becomes testable.
Watch out Discomfort alone does not prove that an opportunity is valuable.
- 2
Test strategic value
Determine whether the opportunity builds a useful skill, increases relevant visibility, expands responsibility, or moves you toward a defined career objective.
Pro tip Prefer opportunities that combine learning with exposure to people who can evaluate your work.
Watch out Do not accept an opportunity merely because it is prestigious.
- 3
Check the real risks
Separate temporary embarrassment and inexperience from serious ethical, financial, health, or reputational danger. Proceed only when the material risks can be controlled.
Pro tip Ask a trusted mentor to challenge both your optimism and your fear.
Watch out The framework is not a reason to ignore genuine hazards or personal boundaries.
- 4
Commit and prepare
Accept the worthwhile opportunity, identify the capabilities it demands, and rehearse the highest-risk parts before the event.
Pro tip Create a short preparation checklist while the requirements are fresh.
Watch out Accepting without preparation turns a calculated stretch into unnecessary exposure.
- 5
Convert exposure into skill
Complete the challenge, seek specific feedback, and record what worked and what needs practice. Apply those lessons to the next opportunity.
Pro tip Repeat similar challenges quickly enough that the learning remains active.
Watch out Avoid judging the entire decision by one awkward moment.
In the wild
Early in her career, Meyer felt intimidated whenever a television producer called and hoped that scheduling might spare her from appearing. She nevertheless accepted media opportunities. The exposure raised her professional visibility and forced her to become clearer and more effective when explaining economics.
→ A feared responsibility became a career asset and a practiced communication skill.
A technically strong analyst is invited to present a proposal to senior executives and instinctively wants a manager to take over. After confirming the proposal is sound, the analyst accepts, rehearses likely objections, and asks a mentor to review the presentation. The meeting is imperfect but establishes the analyst as someone capable of owning strategic work.
→ The analyst gains visibility, feedback, and evidence of readiness for larger assignments.
Common mistakes
Confusing danger with discomfort
The rule applies to manageable growth challenges, not opportunities carrying uncontrolled ethical, legal, financial, or personal risks.
Accepting without preparation
Courage creates the learning opportunity, but preparation is what converts exposure into credible performance.
Waiting to feel confident
Confidence often follows successful exposure rather than preceding it, so waiting can preserve the original fear indefinitely.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for capable professionals who habitually avoid visible, unfamiliar, or demanding assignments.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for opportunities that violate personal boundaries or carry unmanaged legal, ethical, or financial risk.
From the transcript
“when an opportunity presents itself that is challenging, uncomfortable, intimidating, or makes you want to hide unto the table, that's just the sort of opportunity…”
“But those are oftentimes where you have the best career advancement.”
“But that I think has certainly been one of the major things I've supported my career is visibility, and it helps me in terms of…”
From the episode
Bank Of America's Michelle Meyer: Masters in Business (Audio)
Michelle Meyer