(A Dozenology – A 12-Part Saga) Part 6: Tests, Allies, and Enemies – Navigating the Wild World Beyond the Comfort Zone
So, you’ve Crossed the Threshold.🎉
You took the leap, said yes, stepped forward, and officially entered your adventure.
At first, it might have felt exhilarating—like a bold, victorious moment where you thought, “Look at me go! I’m actually doing this!”
And then…reality set in.
Welcome to The Land of Tests, Allies, and Enemies—also known as that part of the journey where things get real.
This is where the honeymoon phase ends, and you realise that stepping into something new means…well, challenges.
What This Stage Looks Like in Real Life
This phase is not about failure—it’s about learning. And that learning comes through:
✅Tests – Moments that push you, stretch you, and make you wonder why you ever signed up for this.
✅Allies – The people who encourage you, cheer you on, and remind you that you’ve got this.
✅Enemies – Not necessarily villains (unless you have an actual nemesis), but the obstacles, doubts, and challenges that try to hold you back.
Let’s break these down.
1. The Tests: When Life Asks, “How Badly Do You Want This?”
Every hero faces trials. In movies, this means escaping a giant boulder, slaying a dragon, or solving a riddle that unlocks a secret door.
In real life, your “tests” might look like:
🔥Your first major challenge in your new job or business.
🔥Feeling like an imposter and wondering if you’re actually cut out for this.
🔥A setback that makes you question whether you made the right decision.
🔥The temptation to quit because sticking with something new is hard.
But tests aren’t here to stop you. They’re here to shape you.
Think of them as proof that you’re on the right path. If it were too easy, you wouldn’t be growing.
2. The Allies: Your Support Crew Matters More Than You Think
Luckily, you don’t have to do this alone. This is the phase where your people start to show up.
Allies can be:
👊Encouragers – The ones who cheer you on when you feel like giving up.
🎯Challengers – The ones who push you to do better and grow stronger.
📚Guides – The ones who have been where you are and share their wisdom.
😂Comic Relief – The ones who remind you not to take everything so seriously.
If you don’t have these people yet—go find them. Join a group, connect with like-minded people, or surround yourself with those who lift you up.
Because here’s a secret: No hero succeeds alone.
3. The Enemies: Who (or What) Stands in Your Way?
This isn’t about evil villains (unless you have one, in which case—intriguing). More often, our “enemies” in this phase are:
⚔Doubt – That voice in your head whispering, “Who do you think you are?”
⚔Distraction – The endless scroll, the busywork, the excuses that keep you from focusing.
⚔Fear of Judgment – Worrying about what others will think if you step fully into your goals.
⚔Resistance to Change – The old habits trying to pull you back into your comfort zone.
The key isn’t to fight these things head-on—it’s to recognise them and not let them have power over you.
How to Move Through This Phase
- Expect tests. They’re not signs to quit—they’re signs you’re growing.
- Lean on your allies. Find support, ask for help, and surround yourself with people who get it.
- Name your enemies. When you see what’s holding you back, you can start moving through it.
- Keep going. Most people quit here. But you’re not most people.
What’s Next?
If you keep moving, something incredible happens next. You start to find your rhythm.
And that brings us to the next chapter:
Part 7: The Approach to the Inmost Cave – Facing the Big Challenge That Changes Everything.
Because soon, you’ll reach the moment where everything comes to a head—the part where you step into the biggest test yet.
But don’t worry—you’ve already come this far. And you’re stronger than you think.💪🚀