2020 has been an interesting year to say the least! We have been challenged by COVID across Australia, (and indeed the globe) seen significant business change, industries falter and others thrive and ‘Work From Home’ push some businesses and indeed some leaders outside of their comfort zone.
So what is a comfort zone? The dictionary defines it as:
a situation where one feels safe or at ease.
a settled method of working that requires little effort and yields only barely acceptable results.
I don’t know about you but neither of those are particularly appealing to myself. Don’t get me wrong, safety is a need for many but being at ease means accepting limits and that is just not me. And a method of working that requires little effort and yields only barely acceptable results……..how do I run in the other direction!
People who know me well know that I like to get out of my comfort zone. I love discovering new limits whether that be physical, mental, spiritual and building the muscle that challenges that little voice in my head that says ‘you can’t do that’, ‘what if you fail’, ‘what would people say’, ‘that’s too hard’ etc
This could be by reviewing and altering my daily habits/routines or through the way I set goals and review them during the year.
In addition to this, each year I like to challenge myself and do one big thing that makes me uncomfortable.
This has pushed me to do the following:
Run a marathon
Complete 100km walk
Compete in an MMA cage (twice)
Take on speaking engagements for our industry
Start this blog (that really brought up the voices in my head and challenged me mentally!)
Be involved in podcasts
Run a podcast for Women In Technology for International Women’s Day
Actively coach and mentor other Recruitment Leaders
Run masterclasses on Sales & Recruitment
Coach Leaders outside of our industry in areas I have mastery
Start a side business
Become a personal trainer
Take on new opportunities and then find a way to get it done!
Actively seek out new connections, relationships and ideas that will challenge me to do more
Each one of those items in the list above came with its own set of challenges at all levels (physical, emotional, mental, spiritual). I could write at length about each one individual and what I learnt along the journey about myself, those in my team, family/friends and people in general.
Each have played a part in the next challenge, provided growth and reflection and I hope in some ways when the stories have been shared they have inspired others to find a way out of their comfort zone as well.
It’s also given me an insight into what sits outside of your comfort zone. Here’s what I have identified:
Growth
Growth is one of the key things you will find outside of your comfort zone. Across all aspects of yourself as a person. You will identify new skills, find new mindsets, redefine what is possible and find out more about yourself as a person. For me this is one of the most exciting aspects about stepping out into something new.
With this growth you will also start to unlock new levels of performance. You will become more and more excited about growth and the potential of growth. This in turn will give you momentum and increase your willingness to chase after this time and time again.
Just like a muscle moving out of your comfort zone becomes easier with deliberate practice and by working the muscle both in small daily change and as you chase after new horizons.
Fulfillment
The sense of fulfillment that comes with achieving a goal or breaking down an internal barrier is another key reason to step outside of the norm. Whenever I have taken this leap the fulfillment I have felt afterwards has helped me move towards the next thing on my list.
I don’t know about you but stepping out of my comfort zone brings a level of excitement and happiness particularly when I learnt to quiet that voice in my head 😊
New Skills, Adventures And Challenges
This feeds on from growth but by stepping out you develop new skills, find new adventures and certainly get challenged in new ways.
It also helps you deal with your ability to react to change and I have found it helps you be more change resilient.
Your start to become comfortable with the uncomfortable and take a different lens towards what life and work throws at you.
Creativity
New stimulus, challenge and risk opens up your creativity. Multiple studies have shown that when you expose yourself to new experiences that you grow in imagination, curiosity and indeed creativity. Your Views On Failure
As you continue to step outside of your comfort zone you are going to fail. But what does that mean for you? Is it the end of the journey or just another step on the road to victory? Your views on fail will change drastically as you start to think bigger and move into a new level of achievement.
Your Perception Of What Is Possible
As you continue to step out of your comfort zone you will find new horizons that you didn’t think were possible. With each new step, new experience and challenge you will begin to see a world that you didn’t think was possible. It is like the blinkers are removed and new possibilities are everywhere. Why wouldn’t you want to chase after that?
Inspiration For Others
As you start to regularly move out of your comfort zone you will begin to get noticed as will your results. People will ask questions about why you do what you do? They will be curious. I have found that often others want to move out of their comfort zone but are held back by their own internal dialogue.
In sharing your story and being open about the challenges you faced, (and overcome) your struggles and the benefits above you can inspire others to do the same. This in turn can build a culture among your work colleagues, friends and family.
What quiets down (or evaporates) when you start to move outside of your comfort zone? I have found the following:
Fear
I don’t believe fear ever evaporates but it does quiet down. The journey out of your comfort zone also helps you categorize fear, understand fear and ultimately push through your fears. Now don’t get me wrong there are still some fears I haven’t conquered (heights for example is an irrational fear I have in some circumstances and I won’t be jumping out of a plane anytime soon!) but there are plenty of others that I have charged straight through as I have moved out of my comfort zone.
That little voice in your head
That little voice in your head. You control it, it doesn’t control you! This is very evident as you condition your body, mind and spirit to go to new places. Each victory, every small and big win quiets that little voice in your head. It gives you a history of successes to use to drown it out as it starts to tell you why you cannot do something.
Excuses
I have found as I have pushed out of my comfort zone that excuses tend to disappear. It’s hard to explain but I feel you take greater ownership and see each new journey as a learning exercise. This then flows into other areas of your life.
So where to from here? Where will you challenge you comfort zone?
Can I challenge you to look for ways in your day to day to move outside your comfort zone? Better yet what is that dream, idea or challenge that you haven’t had the courage to take on? Why not decide to take the leap outside of your comfort zone! You won’t regret it!
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