What do entrepreneurs, writers, artists, professionals, business owners (or people who make massive progress) have in common? They see comfort as the enemy!
Seemingly, people who pick these professions or roles are those who have a strong desire to make a difference in the world. However, that’s not true in many cases.
Sure, to some people, being uncomfortable comes more naturally. But if you find yourself in the other category, there’s no need to worry. You just have to make a conscious decision to change.
In my opinion, the difference between those who act within their comfort zone and those who seek discomfort is mindset or self-confidence. (And we know that a strong mindset can be developed).
One common characteristic that people who live in their comfort zone share with those who live outside it, is that they both are problem solvers.
Think about it.
The difference is that those who live within their comfort zone, solve the problems that jeopardise their comfort. Once the problem is resolved, they go back to being comfortable.
As individuals, we all have unique perspectives and beliefs. Thus it’s easy to see (mainly in others) how thoughts influence the decision-making process.
Before deciding whether or not to take action when an opportunity arises, we follow a process to determine whether we’re capable of tackling a challenge.
The sequence is the same for everyone, the main difference being the mindset.
Before outlining the process, let’s see what is the comfort zone.
What Is The Comfort Zone
Simply put: The comfort zone is a familiar territory where the challenges we face are predictable, and we act to our full potential without anxiety or stress.
The comfort zone is not fixed and can be expanded or contracted.
Elements That Expand and Contract the Comfort Zone
- Emotions: They can be both a motivator or deterrent to success. On one hand, emotions provide us with the drive and determination needed to be productive and overcome obstacles. On the other hand, if left unmanaged, emotions overpower our rational decision-making, making us fearful, procrastinators and doubters in ourselves.
- Habits and routines: Our brains are wired to seek out rewards and avoid pain. When we do something difficult or uncomfortable, we release a stress hormone (cortisol) which makes us avoid that behaviour in the future. The problem is that progress comes from being uncomfortable.
- Lack of confidence: It can stem from a past experience where you tried to achieve something but failed. The mind perceives that as a painful lesson and looks to avoid the same experience in the future. This can hold you back from trying new things or taking risks. It’s what we call fear of failure.
- Caring what other people think: To a certain point, it’s understandable to pay attention to the opinions of others. But many of us fall into the trap of paying too much attention to what everyone thinks of us.
- Friends, family and workplace: You might not be aware, but friends and family greatly influence your behaviour. They either tell you what you’re capable of or you model their behaviour and way of thinking. Add the workplace to this equation where you’re told what to do and when to do it, and you have a cemented comfort zone from which you can’t escape too easily.
- Test the influence of your family and friends over you by changing your appearance or telling them that you want to start a business or change your career 180°. What is their reaction, and what are your thoughts? Do you second guess your intentions, or will you stay firm on your position? If they support and encourage you, consider yourself lucky. But more often than not, friends and family will judge you and they’ll try to keep you the same. Repeat the process with someone you just met, and you’ll notice how they’ll accept you as you are.
To see how roles determine our behaviour, check out the article ROLES IN LIFE | WHO CHOOSES THEM.
Why Is It Hard To Get Out Of The Comfort Zone?
As I mentioned earlier, we are hardwired to avoid stress and pain through the production of cortisol.
And because everything in the comfort zone is predictable, cosy and familiar, we have a natural inclination to stay here.
The problem with this area is that it’s limited and lacks diversity, leaving little opportunity for engaging in various activities. As a result, you may feel as though you are only existing rather than living fully.
Although the comfort zone is very tempting, staying there means you’re not making progress. This may feel good at first, but in the long run, you’ll come to regret trading new experiences, challenges, growth and fulfilment for temporary comfort.
The biggest regret is not taking the opportunity to do the things you always wanted to do because you had a fearful mindset.
To me, regret is the worst!
So what’s the process behind making a decision?
The Process Behind Taking Action
Now, the sequential decision-making I mentioned at the beginning of the article.
When presented with a situation, we filter the outcome through the lenses of experience and the limited knowledge we possess at that time!
The sequential decision-making looks like this:
Perceive: You notice that there is a change in your comfort zone.
Associate: You associate what you just perceived with the information (experience) you had acquired previously when a similar situation occurred.
Evaluate: You then analyse and evaluate the likelihood of different outcomes.
Decide: Make an informed decision based on that understanding. Which comes down to taking action or not.
If you are risk-averse because you had an unpleasant experience, you will choose not to take any action.
And here is the issue: Flawed perception of past events influences your decision (to take or not action), disregarding your potential to learn and improve.
That’s why we should do things that scare us.
Often, things look scary because we start with limited knowledge or inaccurate representation of how things actually are without even realising it!
The people you admire weren’t born with knowledge or skills, the difference between you and them is that they didn’t let comfort and fear dictate their moves!
7 Strategies That Help You Get Out of The Comfort Zone
I’d say the first step in getting out of the comfort zone is to realise that you have control over yourself:
- Emotions: You manage them.
- Thoughts: You control them.
- Action: You get to decide.
You are where you are today as a result of your actions rather than circumstances.
Given that action sets you free, there are some things you can do to push yourself out of your comfort zone:
- The comfort zone is a social construct: Some people live their lives as if there is no comfort zone. In other words, being uncomfortable is the comfort zone. For example, consider people who travel the world, start their own businesses, or constantly learn new skills. As a result of personal experiences, culture and upbringing, they behave as if there is no comfort zone. If you want to live a more fulfilling life, start by challenging yourself to do something new every day.
- Past doesn’t define you: Here’s an interesting point: the past is regularly changing, what you experience as the present will become the past. And so, the choices you make today will determine who you’ll become in the future. If your past decisions shaped your present, then your present actions will determine your future. The sooner you realise this, the better.
- You can only control yourself: We start the day off with a certain level of energy. The less energy we spend trying to control external events, the more energy we have left to focus on ourselves and the things that matter. When we allocate our limited resources to areas within our control, we become more confident in our problem-solving abilities, taking on new challenges, ultimately leading to breaking free from our comfort zone.
- Do a 30, 60 or 90-day challenge: If you want to write a book, you have to write every day for 30, 60 or 90 consecutive days. If you want to be a content creator, you need to publish content for 30, 60 or 90 straight days. The idea here is that you force yourself through the learning curve very fast, gaining confidence in your ability to overcome challenges.
- You perceive things inaccurately: This applies to everyone. The reason why we don’t see things as they are is because we have cognitive biases. Things such as thoughts, beliefs and expectations shape our perception of the world. To see things more clearly, be aware of your perception. When you’re facing an obstacle, ask yourself: Is this the reality or do my cognitive biases shape it so it fits my narrative?
- Find a role model: The fastest way to get where you want is to find a person who achieved what you want to achieve and study them. Seeing someone overcoming similar circumstances or challenges will instil a sense of confidence that you too, can overcome them.
- You’ll get better: Just like driving. How did you feel the first time you drove? If you’re like me, you were anxious and overwhelmed, completely out of your comfort zone. Now driving is second nature. The more you practice, the easier it gets. Regardless of your feelings, it is crucial to START. START THEN OPTIMISE.
Numerous great people started without the belief that they had what it takes. They just started with limited knowledge and skills they had at the time and got better over time. And because they got better, they had results, which in turn provided them with proof reinforcing their belief that they can accomplish anything they set their minds to.
Believing in yourself won’t come to you unless you start putting in the work.
I leave you with one of my favourite quotes: “There are more things … likely to frighten us than there are to crush us; we suffer more often in imagination than in reality.” (Seneca)
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Dragos.