Please, think back to when you did something that scared you.
Maybe it was the first time you lived away from home, or when you decided to change careers.
It likely felt unfamiliar at first, but with time, you developed confidence from knowing you could adapt to these significant changes.
Many might assume that working outside of your comfort zone is a given as a business leader. Yet more often than not, we fall into a trap of complacency.
It’s easy to feel comfortable with familiar methods and situations. But in order to grow our companies—and ourselves—stepping away from our emotional crutches is a necessary and hard step to take.
If you feel like your personal growth has stalled, it is time to reassess your current standing and recognize patterns of self-limiting behaviors, and that includes staying in your comfort zone.
One of my favorite quotes from George Addair states:
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.”
…. to get what you want, you need to get past your fear by getting out of your comfort zone.
Fear is a powerful emotion. It often masquerades as protection, keeping us from doing things that may cause us harm. But sometimes, the real damage comes from the inaction that fear enables.
… so, we avoid those things that make us uncomfortable, but there is no growth in staying in the comfort zone.
Sooner or later, that caution and those fears that prevent you from getting hurt or put on the spot, stagnate us.
It’s far easier to blame others for your lack of growth than it is to step out of your comfort zone.
The truth is that the things that prevent us from growing are not external; they are internal. It’s easy to think that other forces — your boss, the economy, or bad luck — block your path. Not true.
The Only One Who’s Holding You Back Is YOU
Until you take responsibility for your own growth journey, everything will remain the same.
To make positive change, you have to be willing to be vulnerable. You need to muster the courage to acknowledge and tackle your hidden fears. By doing so, you’ll get out of your own way/out of your comfort zone, gain traction and go after your goals.
In my personal experience, there is nothing as terrifying and liberating at the same time !!!!
