When you rise in the morning and stumble into the bathroom you are about to see your biggest obstacle and your greatest asset - you. You decide how successful you will be based on the actions you choose each day. You decide each moment how much risk you are willing to accept and how much effort you will put forth to reach your full potential. You set the boundaries. Many say that others set boundaries for us, but the truth is that once we accept those boundaries, we have made a choice.

How do you maintain your interest and enthusiasm for facilitation over the years? Stretch yourself and expand your boundaries. Don’t let your role define you as an instructor or facilitator. Here are five thoughts on keeping your edge.

1. Energy givers and detractors: When I teach, what gives me energy and what takes energy away? Make a list of the topics that bring you joy to teach and the topics that you dislike. Intentionally seek out opportunities or roles where you can deliver the topics that bring you energy and move away from the energy draining topics.

2. Make each class different: Use participant’s personal reactions and comments to make learning points. Even though your audiences may be homogenous as it relates to job function, each participant brings knowledge and experience into the classroom that can be harnessed, by you, to create learning.