Humans are the most powerful creature on this planet. Whatever technology we use today, is all a product of the human brain. His discovery proved that man can even go to the moon. But still, he is attracted to comfort. Human is the creature of habit. Whatever work he does continuously creates neural pathways in the brain. These neural pathways become patterns in your thoughts and behaviors. That’s why it seems like you get stuck in a rut sometimes. If you feel like your life is on a loop, you may have to leave your comfort zone.
What is Comfort Zone?
The comfort zone is a psychological state in which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral state, using a limited set of behaviors to provide a stable level of performance, usually without a sense of risk. A person feels safe in his Comfort zone and feels like he has some control over the situation. All his immediate needs are met and he feels at peace.
When you leave your comfort zone, you are no longer in a familiar and controllable situation. The brain hasn’t built up the pathways necessary to know how to react and you can feel anxiety and fear. Yet it is important to learn to get out of your comfort zone.
Why it’s Important to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?
There are clear benefits to living in your comfort zone: less stress, less anxiety, and general feelings of well-being. But it can also make you feel like you’re in a holding pattern. This is because uncertainty and development are also human needs. It’s a paradox: too much certainty, and we won’t meet our need for growth and new experiences. But too much uncertainty can lead to anxiety and a lack of productivity.
The ability to step out of your comfort zone in regular, positive ways allows you to strike the right balance between certainty and uncertainty. Pushing your limits can make you more productive, more adaptable, and more creative. As you push your personal limits, you train your brain to adapt to new situations and create new neural pathways that make you a better problem-solver, decision-maker, and leader. You really become invincible.
How to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone?
To get out of your comfort zone, you need to learn how to control the natural fear and anxiety when you try new things. It starts with getting in touch with your emotions and changing your mindset.
Find Risk Tolerance limit
To step out of your comfort zone, you must determine your risk tolerance. Most people think they are more risk-tolerant than they really are – and many people don’t really know their risk tolerance because they have never encountered an extreme situation in which it has been tested. To find your baseline, determine your driving force.
Control Your Emotions
People who can leave comfort zones easily may have greater emotional mastery than those who get stuck in routines. That doesn’t mean they suppress their feelings – in fact, they do the exact opposite. They acknowledge that they have feelings to guide them. They feel their feelings fully and ask themselves, “What is this feeling really telling me?” When you leave your comfort zone, anxiety is normal. It is telling you that you feel insecure. Accept it, then move on from it.
Develop a growth mindset
Growth is one of the most essential human needs: if you are not growing, you are dying. The most successful people in the world have a deep need for growth that drives them to leave their comfort zone in search of new things. This is called a growth mindset – the belief that humans can improve their skills. Conversely, people with a fixed mindset don’t believe they can improve themselves, and don’t bother to try. When you develop a growth mindset, you will unlock your inner strength.
Start with Small
You don’t have to grow up right away. Start small: Say “hi” to a coworker you’ve never said hi to before. Make a quick company announcement. Take a different route to work. Try a new restaurant. Start creating new habits that turn your ability to leave your comfort zone into something that feels natural and becomes a part of your daily routine
Find like-minded people
If you want to leave your comfort zone, you have to surround yourself with the right people. People with a growth mindset. People who challenge themselves to be better and do better daily. People who will celebrate your achievements and help you learn from your failures. This could be a results coach, a mentor, or a supportive group of friends. When you learn to harness the power of closeness, anything is possible.
Accept Failure – Find More Lessons
The fear of failure is one of the most common fears that prevent us from achieving excellence. When you look at the best athletes, businessmen, and actors, you’ll find they have one thing in common: they’ve all failed spectacularly at some point in their lives. The difference is that they don’t let failure get to them. They know that there is a lesson in every failure – but you have to step out of your comfort zone to find it.
Read also How to Change Your Mindset, How to Make My Daily Routine?
Saurabh Goel
Saurabh Goel is the founder of Brain Soul & You. He is an Entrepreneur, Author, Brain Performance coach, NLP Wellness Coach, Life Coach, Brain Analyst, and Trainer for Education, Corporate, Entrepreneurship.