Let's Get Uncomfortable. Breaking Down the 'Comfort Zone'

We've all heard it.
We all know what it is.
What's so special about it?

The comfort zone is a behavioural state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviours to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.

"The comfort zone is a behavioural state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition..."
We slip into this state, often unconsciously, to avoid the harsh feelings of anxiety or nervousness.
Over the millions of years that our species has evolved, we've been trained to instinctively generate these feelings of anxiety to protect us from danger.

"...using a limited set of behaviours to deliver a steady level of performance..."
Doing the same thing yields the same results. In fact, someone has even gone so far in using the term INSANITY if you expect different results in the process. Anybody with a competitive nature is always looking for ways to improve. Ways to do something better. Ways to get better results. One can see why enabling the comfort zone is detrimental to the goal at hand.

"...usually without a sense of risk..."
Theodore Roosevelt once said, "No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause".
'Nuff said.

Here's the challenge:
Next time you get a feeling of anxiety or nervousness, embrace that feeling.
Take a deep breath and be grateful you're getting that feeling.
Next time:

• You have a presentation at work coming up in a few weeks.. This is going to be the biggest crowd you have ever presented to.
• You have to let go a few of your employees whom you've known for years.
• You're asked to lead a group on a critical project with a tight deadline.
• You are standing in line at the grocery store behind the most beautiful girl you've ever seen and trying to muster up the courage to say something.

Be grateful! Take the risk. Do the best you can.

Yes, you may very likely fall on your face. But that's OK!

Keep this important point in mind - If you continue to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you will find that these things will start becoming less and less uncomfortable. Like anything, it takes time and repetition to be great but keep pushing - One day you will have the ability to roll out of bed and give a presentation to 5 times as many people with no sweat.

You'll be leading groups to success one after another.

Every pretty girl in the neighborhood will know your name.

1. Recognize your nervous feeling. This has to be a conscious discernment.
2. Embrace the feeling and take a deep breath.
3. Stay calm and do the best you can.. Treat this situation as a practice session for later.

Let's get uncomfortable!