Many people have trouble getting out of the comfort zone. They want to do more in life, but are afraid to challenge themselves and push themselves to the limit of what they think is safe. Only when you stop having anxiety and fear will you begin to make great strides in your life.
Life begins at the end of your comfort zone
Neale Donald Walsch
So, in this post we will talk about your comfort zone. Specifically, I will give you seven steps that you can use to push yourself beyond those self-created boundaries called limits.
Leaving your comfort zone?
Before we get to these seven steps to get out of the comfort zone, let's define the term "comfort zone" and see how this concept can block many people.
A "comfort zone" is a self-imposed boundary where a person refuses to go further: going out of this area often fills him with nervousness and anxiety. For example, let's say you've just started a new sales job. There are probably some aspects of this job that make you feel comfortable, such as talking to individual co-workers or potential clients.
On the other hand, the idea of ​​cold calling potential customers (who don't even know you exist) fills you with anxiety. Basically, you feel uncomfortable doing something other than an individual conversation.
Learn how to get out of your comfort zone with these tips and strategies to make the most of your life.
So let's talk about the seven steps to get out of the comfort zone.
Stay informed
Anxiety usually stems from fear of the unknown - we usually imagine the worst case scenario of what could happen when we push the boundaries of what it does to us feel safe.
Information is power. And the more information we have, the less fearful we are and the more powerful we feel.
It's really easy to fall into the trap of never going beyond your comfort zone. The problem is that often, this blockage prevents you from real success and happiness in life. This is because one of the best ways to grow is to test the limits of what most people consider "normal" to live the life they want.
To break through your comfort zone, you need to educate yourself first. Your goal here is to discover whatever skill or activity you are pursuing. You will talk to people who have done the same thing. You will read books on the subject. Etc.
Example: Taking the example from the introduction, if you want to be an experienced salesperson, then your goal is to be comfortable with cold calling. So you will talk to the best sellers and learn what they have done to overcome this obstacle. Then you will educate yourself on the process and tricks other people have used to increase their sales.
Having a plan
After getting used to stepping out of the comfort zone, you need to create an action plan to push the boundaries of what you think is impossible. With this step, you have to write an action plan, to get out of the comfort zone. It starts with the simplest thing to do. Then you create a plan to get to each level.
In this plan it is necessary to create reference points: they are mini goals that put you one step ahead of your comfort zone.
Also, it is important identify key challenges what you will face and what you will do to overcome them.
An example: let's go back to work in the sales area. Once you have learned the cold calling process, you sit down and create a plan to overcome this limitation. Maybe you'll start with people you already know and work your way up to cold calling.
Hold yourself accountable
Responsibility is another key to getting out of the comfort zone. Tell your friends and family what you are trying to do. Or find a partner or mentor who trusts you.
This is an important step because the people in your life will keep you "in line" and push you beyond your limits.
Take baby steps
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.
Lao Tzu
Leaving your comfort zone begins with the first step. Once you have a plan in place, take it one step at a time. Taking "baby steps" is a great way to shake off feelings of anxiety. You are not trying to become a successful person overnight. On the contrary, you are constantly pushing to get out of the comfort zone, working towards a greater goal.
An example: let's go back to the seller, in the logic of small steps you will practice calling some friends and relatives and you will submit some examples of cold calls. Then you will call the "hot contacts" that are ready to buy. And then finally, you will work on all the cold calls that often end with nothing, and that if they are very demanding.
Challenge your comfort zone
To rock your comfort zone (and all other certainties), you have to do what I call an "aggressive challenge". It is an intense approach, in which you do a lot of scary things. The idea is that you have to shock the system to make it comfortable.
You will not have time to think about your fear: you will be so busy pushing your limits that you will you will forget what you feared.
An example of an "aggressive challenge" for your sales job would be to call more than 100 potential customers in a relatively short period of time. Don't think during this process. You just do it. If someone is rude or hangs up, quickly dial another number and move on.
Knowing what your comfort zone is allows you to discover the benefits of getting out of it.
When you leave your comfort zone behind, you recognize that you will experience negative results - it is a natural part of the process.
Stay positive
There will be times when the outcome will be negative. Something that shakes your confidence and makes you feel scared. The trick is to not let anything stop you from get out of the comfort zone.
Recognizing that something will fail - it's a natural part of the process. Don't let negativity creep into your mind - for each rejection you are given feedback on how you can improve.
An example always linked to sales: with cold calls there is a large number of "waste". People will attack, they will be rude, and some may scorn you (this happened to me once). The trick here is to create the "neighbor" mantra. Whenever someone is negative, quickly identify the mistake you made, and move on to the next phone call.
Leaving your comfort zone is difficult, but the benefits of being out of your comfort zone are obvious.
Keep expanding the comfort zone
We never stop expanding our comfort zone. Even if you arrive at your stated goal, it's important to keep pushing those boundaries. Look for new challenges. Find things you never imagined doing.
An example: When you finally get comfortable with cold calling, you will seek more challenging experiences. Perhaps you will mentor a younger salesperson who has problems in this area. Or perhaps you will identify another key area of ​​your job and focus on mastering this skill.
The important thing is to keep pushing the limits of your work.
How do you get out of your comfort zone?
Getting out of your comfort zone gives you more opportunities in life. Don't let anxiety stop you from doing what you really want. Attack your fears and push the boundaries of what makes you feel comfortable.
The truth is, you could really learn to appreciate what you are doing. Perhaps you will find that this experience will offer you an opportunity that you did not know existed.
