How to move out of your comfort zone
Sebastian Wright
Published Mar 29, 2026
Early in my career, I was an executive in a nearly $2 billion company and had all I could ever want in a job. But pretty soon, things started to feel way too comfortable and I didn’t feel like I was continuing to grow personally. That’s when an opportunity presented itself that would allow me to move into the C-suite at a software technology company that had less than $10 million in revenue and would require a move from my hometown.
We are all creatures of habit and thrive on the predictable and comfortable to minimize stress. And for me, this was going to be a risk, one that was going to take me squarely out of my comfort zone. But I knew one thing: If I chose to follow my fears and stick with only the familiar, I’d be destined to fall behind everyone else willing to take a chance and step outside of what was comfortable.
I decided to go for it.
Fast forward a few years and the new company that felt like a risk had doubled in size. I was able to exit the company and go on to serve in C-level roles at two other software companies.
Had I not taken that chance, I would have never experienced the success that came with its subsequent opportunities. And every challenge that came after that initial leap of faith seemed far less stressful and made me a better person, personally and professionally.
So, what’s the secret to leaving your comfort zone? Here are four tips to help move you into a world of adventure and opportunity:
1. Find your “zone of courage.”
Your zone of courage lies just outside your comfort zone. If you’re not ready to take a big leap, take a baby step. You’ve got to start somewhere. The zone of courage contains much less predictability than your comfort zone, but it could also contain opportunities for personal and professional growth.
The thought of leaving home and family and entering a much smaller company in a field I had no experience in was almost terrifying. But I knew that the role would prepare me for much bigger roles in the future, and the timing was right in my life to make a change.
2. Avoid the “zone of terror.”
Beyond your zone of courage lies another zone: the zone of terror, which is overwhelming and a place you want to avoid. The key to success is finding that area outside your comfort zone and outside the terror zone. It’s the sweet spot that allows you to move forward at a pace that allows you to grow but doesn’t paralyze you with fear.
If I had thought any of the changes I made in my life were truly terrifying, I would have been frozen and they never would have happened.
3. Allow yourself to be vulnerable.
You can play it safe and always do the predictable thing, or you can push the envelope a bit and go for maximal growth. Moving out of your comfort zone is bound to make you feel a little exposed and that’s a crucial part of the process.
You’re going to feel afraid. But moving forward—even while knowing that failure is a possibility—helps you set new and higher bars for your goals and move into your zone of courage at the same time.
4. Take it one step at a time.
You might think that sounds less than ambitious, but trust me, moving out of your comfort zone doesn’t happen all at once. With every move you make, take time to evaluate where you are and plan where you want to go next. Then take your next step in your new direction.
That’s how you develop momentum and keep yourself moving on to greater opportunities, and further out of your comfort zone.
We often start the day surrounded by the familiar comforts of home and family. It’s our job as humans to walk out the front door, shake it up a bit and grow. Ready to make your first move?
Fear is a natural and essential part of growth. Every time we consciously choose to step outside of our comfort zone, the next uncomfortable thing becomes a little bit easier.
We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council how they take those small but powerful daily steps. Here’s what they said.
1. Take nothing for granted.
I’ve learned a lot through suffering, as much as I have through success. And I’m grateful for the suffering the most. Going through a divorce, splitting ways with a wayward business partner, working to the point of sickness… you name it. Suffering has led me to a place where I try to take nothing for granted. When you avoid taking your business and relationships for granted, it’s much harder to be complacent.
2. Switch up your routine.
Routines are as much about comfort as they are about efficiency. Each day, I switch up my routine in small but meaningful ways. I’ll walk a new route to work, stop for lunch at different times of the day and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Small shake-ups in my routine lead to meeting new people and seeing different sights, which help kick-start ideas for both my work and personal life.
3. Move toward your fears.
I found that the things I’m afraid to do are often the things that have the greatest potential to expand my life. Now when I feel fear, it’s usually an indicator that I need to do that thing I’m afraid of. Making a commitment to lean into that each day has been really uncomfortable at times, but it has also been responsible for a lot of great memories and a deep level of personal satisfaction.
4. Give up control.
It might not be an everyday thing, but giving up bits of control of my company takes me out of my comfort zone. Hiring someone to run our social media, delegating new inquiries to speak to someone on my staff or letting my employees take the lead on client projects have all taken me out of my comfort zone, which is important.
5. Try something new until you feel comfortable.
Anything that I struggle with, I keep trying different approaches until I’m no longer scared of it. Sometimes it takes a while to get comfortable, so I try different approaches daily, or just keep at it until it becomes comfortable. Then I move to the next uncomfortable thing.
6. Ask the questions other people don’t like to.
I want to know what’s up with my employees, customers and everything going on in between. This means having frequent and open conversations with my employees and getting customers on the phone to find out how they liked their experiences with my business. I ask tough questions to address real issues and promote growth for my business.
7. Start conversations with strangers.
I really enjoy talking to people, and I’ve found that striking up a conversation with the person next to me, while I’m waiting for transportation or enjoying a meal at a lunch place’s bar seating, is a great way to overcome shyness with new people. It’s also a good way to learn amazing things about the world and the people in it.
8. Agree to something you wouldn’t normally consider.
Sometimes when someone offers me something that I would normally refuse, I like to surprise myself by saying yes, whether it is something business-related, like trying a new strategy, or accepting an invitation to join an amateur sports team on the weekend. Even if it doesn’t work out, I always learn something from the experience.
9. Get in front of the camera.
I get in front of the camera on a daily basis. Creating videos always challenges me to present information in the best way possible, step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there on the internet. Whether it’s on marketing growth hacks or tutorials on how to use my software, my goal at the end of the day is to educate consumers even if that means getting a little uncomfortable.
10. Keep a list of growth goals.
I keep a list of growth goals. Things like “practice public speaking,” “take a risk,” “explore a new and strange idea.” I keep the list close by, and I always try to read it at the end of the day. Because I got into the habit of reading the list, I know I’ll be accountable to it. It forces me to take these steps during the day.
Image by WindNight/Shutterstock.com
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
4 Comments
To be shy doesn”t help you or those around you. If you have a chance to speak, speak it, just do it. You are not risking anything. You need just to open your mouth. Also, people care too much what others might think of them. I”ve been the one, now I overcame it. I wrote an article about shyness if you wanna read it. It might help you. It is here: //link removed by admin// I really hope it will help you and you will realize that you are just trapped in your mind. Take out of your shell and start living a life worth living.
Hi .. what is the link ?
Thank you for this article. Let me tell you that I am currently fighting. Fear is an interesting topic. According to a neuroscientists, it is when the brain freezes at the situation you are afraid of. This ties to your self image because many times fear is there to protect you physically and mentally. This reminds me of the concert of identity. The concept of identity is somewhat related to self-image but self-image is actually made up of a set of norms and standards which are like super goals or they act as magnets on your goals. You can think of them, in the goalscape, as acting out goals, however you want to think of it. One of the huge reasons that mindset stuff or just setting a goal doesn’t work as well as we would think, where we’ll do it and it’ll be helpful but then it will dissipate and we’ll need to get that mindset back or redo it, these norms and standards are operating at the very deepest level, we could say, of our goalscape, our mind, and acting like magnets.
It is nice write up. After reading this article, I take step to comment on that, which is giving me confidence. Actually, these days I am passign through my job switch transition period. Let me share my truth with you that I have been working on this current project and in my existing company since last four yeares, now the project will be over within coming 2-3 months and then we will have to move somewhere else, where it is, we don’t know, Existing company also does not have any new project in piple line. So an fight or flight situation within me is going on. In order to cope with this siutaion , I am reading a lot and trying to start preparing my CV in order to come out of my comfort zone, which is helping a lot. Thanks for givning good advices in this article,
Fear is a natural and essential part of growth. Every time we consciously choose to step outside of our comfort zone, the next uncomfortable thing becomes a little bit easier.
We asked members of the Young Entrepreneur Council how they take those small but powerful daily steps. Here’s what they said.
1. Take nothing for granted.
I’ve learned a lot through suffering, as much as I have through success. And I’m grateful for the suffering the most. Going through a divorce, splitting ways with a wayward business partner, working to the point of sickness… you name it. Suffering has led me to a place where I try to take nothing for granted. When you avoid taking your business and relationships for granted, it’s much harder to be complacent.
2. Switch up your routine.
Routines are as much about comfort as they are about efficiency. Each day, I switch up my routine in small but meaningful ways. I’ll walk a new route to work, stop for lunch at different times of the day and take the stairs instead of the elevator. Small shake-ups in my routine lead to meeting new people and seeing different sights, which help kick-start ideas for both my work and personal life.
3. Move toward your fears.
I found that the things I’m afraid to do are often the things that have the greatest potential to expand my life. Now when I feel fear, it’s usually an indicator that I need to do that thing I’m afraid of. Making a commitment to lean into that each day has been really uncomfortable at times, but it has also been responsible for a lot of great memories and a deep level of personal satisfaction.
4. Give up control.
It might not be an everyday thing, but giving up bits of control of my company takes me out of my comfort zone. Hiring someone to run our social media, delegating new inquiries to speak to someone on my staff or letting my employees take the lead on client projects have all taken me out of my comfort zone, which is important.
5. Try something new until you feel comfortable.
Anything that I struggle with, I keep trying different approaches until I’m no longer scared of it. Sometimes it takes a while to get comfortable, so I try different approaches daily, or just keep at it until it becomes comfortable. Then I move to the next uncomfortable thing.
6. Ask the questions other people don’t like to.
I want to know what’s up with my employees, customers and everything going on in between. This means having frequent and open conversations with my employees and getting customers on the phone to find out how they liked their experiences with my business. I ask tough questions to address real issues and promote growth for my business.
7. Start conversations with strangers.
I really enjoy talking to people, and I’ve found that striking up a conversation with the person next to me, while I’m waiting for transportation or enjoying a meal at a lunch place’s bar seating, is a great way to overcome shyness with new people. It’s also a good way to learn amazing things about the world and the people in it.
8. Agree to something you wouldn’t normally consider.
Sometimes when someone offers me something that I would normally refuse, I like to surprise myself by saying yes, whether it is something business-related, like trying a new strategy, or accepting an invitation to join an amateur sports team on the weekend. Even if it doesn’t work out, I always learn something from the experience.
9. Get in front of the camera.
I get in front of the camera on a daily basis. Creating videos always challenges me to present information in the best way possible, step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there on the internet. Whether it’s on marketing growth hacks or tutorials on how to use my software, my goal at the end of the day is to educate consumers even if that means getting a little uncomfortable.
10. Keep a list of growth goals.
I keep a list of growth goals. Things like “practice public speaking,” “take a risk,” “explore a new and strange idea.” I keep the list close by, and I always try to read it at the end of the day. Because I got into the habit of reading the list, I know I’ll be accountable to it. It forces me to take these steps during the day.
Image by WindNight/Shutterstock.com
Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the world’s most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched BusinessCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses.
4 Comments
To be shy doesn”t help you or those around you. If you have a chance to speak, speak it, just do it. You are not risking anything. You need just to open your mouth. Also, people care too much what others might think of them. I”ve been the one, now I overcame it. I wrote an article about shyness if you wanna read it. It might help you. It is here: //link removed by admin// I really hope it will help you and you will realize that you are just trapped in your mind. Take out of your shell and start living a life worth living.
Hi .. what is the link ?
Thank you for this article. Let me tell you that I am currently fighting. Fear is an interesting topic. According to a neuroscientists, it is when the brain freezes at the situation you are afraid of. This ties to your self image because many times fear is there to protect you physically and mentally. This reminds me of the concert of identity. The concept of identity is somewhat related to self-image but self-image is actually made up of a set of norms and standards which are like super goals or they act as magnets on your goals. You can think of them, in the goalscape, as acting out goals, however you want to think of it. One of the huge reasons that mindset stuff or just setting a goal doesn’t work as well as we would think, where we’ll do it and it’ll be helpful but then it will dissipate and we’ll need to get that mindset back or redo it, these norms and standards are operating at the very deepest level, we could say, of our goalscape, our mind, and acting like magnets.
It is nice write up. After reading this article, I take step to comment on that, which is giving me confidence. Actually, these days I am passign through my job switch transition period. Let me share my truth with you that I have been working on this current project and in my existing company since last four yeares, now the project will be over within coming 2-3 months and then we will have to move somewhere else, where it is, we don’t know, Existing company also does not have any new project in piple line. So an fight or flight situation within me is going on. In order to cope with this siutaion , I am reading a lot and trying to start preparing my CV in order to come out of my comfort zone, which is helping a lot. Thanks for givning good advices in this article,
Why moving beyond the safe and familiar is essential for growth.
Each of us has our own “comfort zone” which, more than an actual place, is a psychological/emotional/ behavioral construct that defines the routine of our daily life. Being in one’s comfort zone implies familiarity, safety, and security. It describes the patterned world of our existence, keeps us relatively comfortable and calm, and helps us stay emotionally even, free from anxiety and worry to a great degree. Creating a comfort zone is a healthy adaptation for much of our lives. But so is stepping out of our comfort zone when it’s time to transition, grow, and transform.
Experiencing a little stress and anxiety now and then is a good thing, too. If all you ever do is stay wrapped in your little cocoon, keeping warm and cozy, you may be missing out on a lot, like new experiences, challenges, and risks. And looking at the bigger picture, if you can’t step out of your comfort zone you may experience difficulty making change or transitioning, growing, and ultimately, transforming; in other words, all those things that define who you are and give your life meaning.
Very simply, what we fear most about challenging ourselves is that we may fail and/or get hurt. But most of us have the ability to rise to the occasion, overcome hurdles and obstacles, and actually succeed in accomplishing something new and challenging.
In my book Transitions, I describe a major life change and how I was affected and changed by it. Many years ago my husband had a wonderful job opportunity that promised to be very fulfilling but it meant that we had to move across the country. The physical move would be hard for both of us but my husband would be going to the safety of a job and the familiarity of a work environment.
It would prove much harder for me. I closed my New York-based practice, left my hospital affiliation of many years, sold my weekend house in Connecticut, and left behind family and many dear friends. Essentially, except for my husband, none of the “externals” with which I identified was making the journey west with me. Looked at one way, I was free; looked at another, I had lost my home. Was I out of my comfort zone? You bet.
For the first time in longer than I could remember, I had a lot of time on my hands. In my new home I knew few people. Immersing myself immediately in work was out of the question, since California has its own licensing requirements for physicians. Without the comfort of all my old roles—doctor, mother, daughter, friend—I was suddenly just a person.
Wandering anonymously around San Francisco I often asked myself, “Who are you now?” There was an exhilarating freedom in not having to meet anyone’s expectations, but it was also disorienting to be thrown so totally back on myself. I was often lonely. Psychological and emotional issues I was sure I was done with found their way back into my consciousness. Clearly, something was happening to me; it was a process I myself had initiated, but I no longer felt in conscious control of it.
Thanks to the disruption of my old life and the soul-searching that resulted from it, I was about to learn to see the world in some very new ways. Everyone I met had a story to tell, and I began to see that my own uncertain search had opened me up to listening in a new way.
As a psychiatrist, of course, much of this was familiar territory to me. In one way or another, I’d long been exposed to or directly focused on the problem of how people got themselves through transitions. But for the first time, I found myself thinking about that territory in a new way. What was it that enabled some people to cope with the big changes in their lives while others seemed undone by them? Of course, many factors contribute to the mix, but it seemed to me that when individuals could find a conscious, meaningful structure to encompass the events of their lives, they could take more responsibility and feel less lost.
I recently revisited that time in my life. My conclusion: Before I made this major move I had allowed myself, on many occasions, to step out of my comfort zone—sometimes because I had to, sometimes to try new things, and sometimes to take bigger risks because not doing so would keep me in the life in which I was already firmly established.
Here are 5 huge benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone:
- Your “real life” is out there waiting for you. Your real life exists beyond the bubble of your own personal thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Your real life is the sum total of ALL of your experiences, not just the one’s you’re comfortable with.
- Challenging yourself pushes you to dip into and utilize your personal store of untapped knowledge and resources. You have no idea what you’re made of unless and until you venture outside of your own familiar world.
- Taking risks, regardless of their outcome, are growth experiences. Even if you make mistakes or don’t get it right the first time those become experiences you can tap into in the future. There really is no such thing as “fail” if you get something out of the experience. And just so you know, “FAIL” re-framed means “First Attempt in Learning.”
- Don’t settle for the mediocre just to avoid stepping out of your comfort zone; it’s too big a price to pay. Your challenges and risk experiences are cumulative. Every time you try something new, and allow yourself to be open to whatever experience arises, you are learning, and expanding your repertoire of life skills and self-knowledge. As you do this you also expand the size of your comfort zone.
- Leaving your comfort zone ultimately helps you to deal with change—and making change in a much better way. Life transitions are all about change. Each time you transition you move to another level. Inevitably, these life transitions transform you.
It may seem overwhelming to step into the unknown. But instead of thinking of the “big picture,” break down what you want or need to accomplish by making small changes. Small changes accumulate and each builds upon the last. Try to make small changes that take you out of the everyday and familiar, yet are not too emotionally challenging. We are all such creatures of habit. Change your daily and/or work routine. Try something new—food, music, and activities you’ve never done. Undertake a creative project of any kind in which your thinking is channeled in a new way. Add newness to your life. Be open to experience.
My takeaway: I have within myself the ability to make big change. I did it once. I can do it again.
Addiction recovery, or for that matter, any recovery, requires a certain amount of patience in yourself as you learn new healthy coping skills. Some people who struggle with addiction have struggled for years, and brain pathways have developed around the craving and use of substances. In order to change behaviors, there is absolutely going to be an amount of time where you feel uncomfortable, unsure of yourself, and feel out of your comfort zone. That is because the addiction was the comfort zone for so long, no matter how devastating the consequences.
You Will Challenge Your Comfort Zone In Addiction Recovery
I used to struggle with this concept of “comfort zone.” I thought I had to do these HUGE monumental activities to feel I was living life to the fullest. I think that is why, for over 10 years of my life, I sought extremes in everything. I also am an impulsive person by nature and think this is also why I fell into substance abuse and eating disorders. I always chose to live in the extremes.
This is where black and white thinking came into play for me. I couldn’t see the grey area – that living outside of my comfort zone doesn’t have to be only through impulsive, life threatening, and dangerous activities or choices. Living outside our comfort zone is the very definition of what addiction recovery feels like at first, at times when struggling.
You will make new choices, replacing negative behaviors, countering negative thoughts, and more – all outside your comfort zone. When you are in recovery from an addiction remember that every day, and each decision, will feel different from one day to the next; what was once hard will become easier. A new behavior that once felt forced will happen naturally. Recovery is all about challenging our comfort zone to have a better life, free from the confines and prison of an addiction.
You Will Challenge Your Comfort Zone by Facing Your Fears
Fears can often take over when you are in the middle of a flashback, a triggering situation, and you feel out of control and uncertain you will be able to do the “right” thing for your recovery. This is why it is so important to have an addiction support system, a sponsor, a mentor, to help shed some light in the darkness. It is also critical to meet yourself where you are at, and be patient with yourself. There are some feelings you will want to run from, where you feel fear, and you’ll be uncomfortable. These are the feelings where you need to be most kind, loving, and patient with yourself.
Fears will not be the deciding factor anymore in your life. Fears are blips on the radar, and you have a choice as to what weight you give to them. You can choose to recognize them for what they are, and what they are not. They will not guide, nor determine the choices or path you take in life.
I benefit greatly from challenging each and every fear along the road in recovery, and this will not change. I will continue to fight the fears, and challenge myself. My dreams, my passions, my goals are worth it. Your dreams, passions and goals are worth it because you and your recovery from an addiction is worth it.
Addiction recovery is all about challenging your comfort zone and facing your fears to have a better life. Never give up challenging yourself, and having patience and kindness when facing new fears. Every day is a new day, full of new experiences. Face them with a clean slate, a new desire to fight for the life you want, because you are worth it.
“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” Brian Tracy
Addiction recovery, or for that matter, any recovery, requires a certain amount of patience in yourself as you learn new healthy coping skills. Some people who struggle with addiction have struggled for years, and brain pathways have developed around the craving and use of substances. In order to change behaviors, there is absolutely going to be an amount of time where you feel uncomfortable, unsure of yourself, and feel out of your comfort zone. That is because the addiction was the comfort zone for so long, no matter how devastating the consequences.
You Will Challenge Your Comfort Zone In Addiction Recovery
I used to struggle with this concept of “comfort zone.” I thought I had to do these HUGE monumental activities to feel I was living life to the fullest. I think that is why, for over 10 years of my life, I sought extremes in everything. I also am an impulsive person by nature and think this is also why I fell into substance abuse and eating disorders. I always chose to live in the extremes.
This is where black and white thinking came into play for me. I couldn’t see the grey area – that living outside of my comfort zone doesn’t have to be only through impulsive, life threatening, and dangerous activities or choices. Living outside our comfort zone is the very definition of what addiction recovery feels like at first, at times when struggling.
You will make new choices, replacing negative behaviors, countering negative thoughts, and more – all outside your comfort zone. When you are in recovery from an addiction remember that every day, and each decision, will feel different from one day to the next; what was once hard will become easier. A new behavior that once felt forced will happen naturally. Recovery is all about challenging our comfort zone to have a better life, free from the confines and prison of an addiction.
You Will Challenge Your Comfort Zone by Facing Your Fears
Fears can often take over when you are in the middle of a flashback, a triggering situation, and you feel out of control and uncertain you will be able to do the “right” thing for your recovery. This is why it is so important to have an addiction support system, a sponsor, a mentor, to help shed some light in the darkness. It is also critical to meet yourself where you are at, and be patient with yourself. There are some feelings you will want to run from, where you feel fear, and you’ll be uncomfortable. These are the feelings where you need to be most kind, loving, and patient with yourself.
Fears will not be the deciding factor anymore in your life. Fears are blips on the radar, and you have a choice as to what weight you give to them. You can choose to recognize them for what they are, and what they are not. They will not guide, nor determine the choices or path you take in life.
I benefit greatly from challenging each and every fear along the road in recovery, and this will not change. I will continue to fight the fears, and challenge myself. My dreams, my passions, my goals are worth it. Your dreams, passions and goals are worth it because you and your recovery from an addiction is worth it.
Addiction recovery is all about challenging your comfort zone and facing your fears to have a better life. Never give up challenging yourself, and having patience and kindness when facing new fears. Every day is a new day, full of new experiences. Face them with a clean slate, a new desire to fight for the life you want, because you are worth it.
“Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” Brian Tracy
We’ve all heard the phrase “step outside your comfort zone” and no doubt we’d all admit that we have one. It’s perfectly normal to feel comfortable with the familiar and uneasy with anything new or different and these, very natural, feelings make it hard for us to embrace new challenges without fear or trepidation. However, stepping outside of your comfort zone can be a very positive step, particularly in the workplace where change and development are needed for progression. So how can employers help employees to see past the fear factor and take those first, brave steps into unknown territory?
Guide and advise
It starts with company leaders and management and their attitudes towards staff. Good managers need to guide and advise, but at the same time give individuals the space and responsibility to make decisions themselves. If your team are building up to taking on challenges outside their usual remit, then they need to develop some independence.
Micromanaging is definitely not the order of the day! It’s important to find a way to allow employees to weigh up options and make their own decisions, without always deferring to senior leaders. It can be scary and in itself can be a way of gaining new ground, but it’s an important step on the road to leaving the comfort zone behind.
Confidence is key
Similarly, encouraging confidence in staff is key; they need to believe that they can do it. Taking on new tasks or areas of development can be daunting and the real reason for this fear is a lack of self-belief or, put differently, the belief that they can’t do it. It’s vital to help employees realize their strengths and start to see that they can achieve more.
By showing them that you believe in them, they will start to feel trusted and valued and begin to believe in themselves. In many ways this goes hand in hand with encouraging independence. By showing employees that you trust them to make a decision or to do something themselves, you are helping them to realize that they do have the skills or abilities required.
Recognise goals achieved
On the whole people work better with a specific goal to strive for, so a great way to encourage people out of their comfort zones is to allocate a particular target that they need to achieve. It could be large or small.
It could be one of a number of steps on the way to a larger end goal. Indeed it can be sensible to break goals down into smaller, manageable stages so as to reduce the fear factor and make each step seem more approachable. It’s also a great idea to introduce rewards along the way to make the process more desirable for the employee. If it’s hard work and a bit nerve-wracking, then rewards for each stage achieved can really motivate an individual to try harder and want to attain the end goal that little bit more. Even better if the rewards are personalised; a good manager should know his or her employees well-enough to be able to tailor a reward to make it all the more desirable.
Mentoring and motivation
As is indicated throughout, the real key to helping employees to step out of their comfort zones is good leadership. Being able to facilitate all the steps described above and understanding what motivates the individuals in your team is invaluable in enabling employees to take the next step. With this in mind, mentoring and one-to-one attention can develop this even more efficiently. It could be as simple as training line managers to fulfil this role or looking within peer groups to allocate individuals with different strengths to help their fellow team members work on given areas. Identifying and utilising the skills you already have within your organisation is a straightforward solution and hugely effective. It also has the added bonus of helping those who are assisting others to gain in confidence and feel more motivated.
For the good of the individual and the company as a whole
As staff develop and feel able to take on new skills it can only benefit an organization. It means that more expertise will be available to you in-house and also frees up the management as teams will be in a position to take on additional responsibilities, allowing senior leaders more time to work on business development, hopefully leading to expansion and growth. Encouraging staff to step out of their comfort zones is really about maximizing your workforce, not only for their own personal development, but also for the good of the company as a whole.
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Are you feeling “stuck in a rut?” Do you feel you live a life similar to the movie “Groundhog day” where you appear to do the same things day in and day out? Do you tell yourself limiting beliefs such as “I don’t want to rock the boat” or “I’ll keep quiet and keep the peace.” Maybe you worry about what others think and say “I don’t want people to think badly of me and get the wrong impression of me.” Are you the type of person to say “No, It’s too risky. What happens if it doesn’t work” or “I have no control over this.”
In today’s blog we are going to examine these expressions and see how what we feed our subconscious mind, will lead to us loosing out on opportunities and enriching our lives with wonderful experiences and memories.
Many people will often blame others, the world around around them, political leaders or their socioeconomic situation for the way that they are. This mindset is dis-empowering and also makes us less accountable for OUR actions. In order to grow every day in our personal growth and development, we must realise that for changes to occur in our life, we have to take action to CREATE them. Granted, some situations are out of our control such as chronic illness, but that doesn’t stop us controlling what we fill our mind with. When we embrace change and opportunities, we reclaim our power and energy back.
If you observe human nature, I am sure you have met 20 something years olds with a very fixed mindset. Every possible positive opportunity or idea you present to them, they create a barrier or obstacle. This situation can also occur with exploring new experiences. Some young people may have decided not to explore life and are resigned to being ‘old’ in their head.
Whereas I am sure you have met some amazing older people who are still 17 in their head! They chuckle and laugh. They explore new opportunities. They continue to fill their mind with information and thrive on learning new things all the time.
You may be reading this and thinking to yourself that people who are happy to move out of their comfort zone are super confident and are assertive. But that would be incorrect. Many people have learned to feel uneasy stepping outside their comfort zone. It is not always easy, but usually they have been shrewd and worked out how to make a sensible step forward into further growth and development.
The Total Somatics Approach to Health and Wellness () looks at all areas of our health. The primary focus of Total Somatics is to develop a daily mindful movement practise which will help reduce pain, improve posture and flexibility and help you return to the activities you love to do…and try new ones! If you have read my other blogs over the years, you will know that Mindset is very closely linked with our Somatic (mind and body) health. Unless we address our Mindset, our daily somatic practise will purely be a mechanical exercise.
So let’s consider a few steps how we can step outside of our comfort zone and develop a growth mindset rather than a fixed mindset.
CHECK OUT MY BLOG ON FIXED AND GROWTH MINDSET BY CLICKING HERE.
Be a ‘Doer’
In a recent Facebook and Instagram post I popped a brilliant picture on my account.
Many people talk about what they plan to do, but they never actually do anything about it. Others are critical of either ones ‘giving it a go’ or of attempting to step outside of their comfort zone. Then ‘the doers’ just give it a go. They may often be quiet and shrewd, working out their best options and TAKING ACTION. This new choice could be a new job opportunity, setting up a business, taking a trip around the world or something else you desire.
The first step is the biggest move you could make. Take it!
Develop Self belief
One of the biggest obstacles a person can have is self belief. So often a person will not pursue an experience or opportunity because they have low self esteem and worth. They don’t feel they deserve it. BUT STOP THIS LIMITING BELIEF.
If you would like to apply for a job which is higher than your current status, go for it.
To begin with, get comfortable with your own accomplishments. If you find self praise uncomfortable, then create a comfortable way you can identify your qualities, gifts and talents. Write down your own achievements, experiences and qualifications. Then write down your strengths and good qualities. Once you have identified them for yourself and TRULY BELIEVE what you have written, then you will be more convincing either applying for that job or walking into your boss’ office and asking for a pay rise or promotion.
Be a Conversation Starter
If you are shy or you feel nervous to talk to new people, you’re not alone. But in order to grow as a person, we need to step out of our comfort zone. Meeting and talking to new people is a great way to learn and grow. In a world centred around technology, people are becoming less interactive with their mouths to speak and more active with their fingers as they text and type! So could we instigate a good old fashioned conversation? Could we look at a person’s face instead of the top of their head by starting a conversation? You really do learn and meet some amazing people when you instigate a conversation. Could you step out of your comfort zone and start a conversation? You’ll be surprised how enjoyable it really is.
Be True to Yourself
Always be true to yourself. Don’t be a chameleon and fit in with your company, if you feel you are selling yourself short. Always stay true to your core values, because that is what matters and helps you feel a inner calm and peace. Just be your true, authentic self.
Take your Foot off the Gas
Are you in that figurative hamster’s wheel, racing along but actually going nowhere? Do you feel that you are often chasing your tail? If you continue in this vein, you will crash and burn. As we are keen to live a somatic, balanced life, we know that running around like a headless chicken is not productive towards our physical, emotional and mental health. We have to break this self destructive pattern. Learn to say NO. Setting boundaries to how much you will take on. Don’t try and please everybody. Remember the previous points we have considered, put a value on your worth and be true to yourself. Create a BALANCE in your health and well being.
Develop a Daily Somatic Practise
By synchronising our mind and body with a daily mindful somatic movement practise, we must also acknowledge that our entire life course, mindset and belief system will reflect in our internal health. If we don’t nurture and cherish OURSELVES from the inside out, we will suffer. Our SOMA (mind and body) is our home for many years. So we want to live in a healthy, balanced and happy environment.
Allow me to guide you through the Total Somatics Online Programs at It is the first structured online program in the world to bring many areas together such as mindset, somatic movement, mindfulness, lifestyle factors plus much more. It had been designed to help you create a healthy lifestyle which is achievable when we take action in the areas I guide you through. It is self paced and can be performed in the comfort of your own home.
I look forward to teaching you these amazing skills.
Why moving beyond the safe and familiar is essential for growth.
Each of us has our own “comfort zone” which, more than an actual place, is a psychological/emotional/ behavioral construct that defines the routine of our daily life. Being in one’s comfort zone implies familiarity, safety, and security. It describes the patterned world of our existence, keeps us relatively comfortable and calm, and helps us stay emotionally even, free from anxiety and worry to a great degree. Creating a comfort zone is a healthy adaptation for much of our lives. But so is stepping out of our comfort zone when it’s time to transition, grow, and transform.
Experiencing a little stress and anxiety now and then is a good thing, too. If all you ever do is stay wrapped in your little cocoon, keeping warm and cozy, you may be missing out on a lot, like new experiences, challenges, and risks. And looking at the bigger picture, if you can’t step out of your comfort zone you may experience difficulty making change or transitioning, growing, and ultimately, transforming; in other words, all those things that define who you are and give your life meaning.
Very simply, what we fear most about challenging ourselves is that we may fail and/or get hurt. But most of us have the ability to rise to the occasion, overcome hurdles and obstacles, and actually succeed in accomplishing something new and challenging.
In my book Transitions, I describe a major life change and how I was affected and changed by it. Many years ago my husband had a wonderful job opportunity that promised to be very fulfilling but it meant that we had to move across the country. The physical move would be hard for both of us but my husband would be going to the safety of a job and the familiarity of a work environment.
It would prove much harder for me. I closed my New York-based practice, left my hospital affiliation of many years, sold my weekend house in Connecticut, and left behind family and many dear friends. Essentially, except for my husband, none of the “externals” with which I identified was making the journey west with me. Looked at one way, I was free; looked at another, I had lost my home. Was I out of my comfort zone? You bet.
For the first time in longer than I could remember, I had a lot of time on my hands. In my new home I knew few people. Immersing myself immediately in work was out of the question, since California has its own licensing requirements for physicians. Without the comfort of all my old roles—doctor, mother, daughter, friend—I was suddenly just a person.
Wandering anonymously around San Francisco I often asked myself, “Who are you now?” There was an exhilarating freedom in not having to meet anyone’s expectations, but it was also disorienting to be thrown so totally back on myself. I was often lonely. Psychological and emotional issues I was sure I was done with found their way back into my consciousness. Clearly, something was happening to me; it was a process I myself had initiated, but I no longer felt in conscious control of it.
Thanks to the disruption of my old life and the soul-searching that resulted from it, I was about to learn to see the world in some very new ways. Everyone I met had a story to tell, and I began to see that my own uncertain search had opened me up to listening in a new way.
As a psychiatrist, of course, much of this was familiar territory to me. In one way or another, I’d long been exposed to or directly focused on the problem of how people got themselves through transitions. But for the first time, I found myself thinking about that territory in a new way. What was it that enabled some people to cope with the big changes in their lives while others seemed undone by them? Of course, many factors contribute to the mix, but it seemed to me that when individuals could find a conscious, meaningful structure to encompass the events of their lives, they could take more responsibility and feel less lost.
I recently revisited that time in my life. My conclusion: Before I made this major move I had allowed myself, on many occasions, to step out of my comfort zone—sometimes because I had to, sometimes to try new things, and sometimes to take bigger risks because not doing so would keep me in the life in which I was already firmly established.
Here are 5 huge benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone:
- Your “real life” is out there waiting for you. Your real life exists beyond the bubble of your own personal thoughts, feelings, and beliefs. Your real life is the sum total of ALL of your experiences, not just the one’s you’re comfortable with.
- Challenging yourself pushes you to dip into and utilize your personal store of untapped knowledge and resources. You have no idea what you’re made of unless and until you venture outside of your own familiar world.
- Taking risks, regardless of their outcome, are growth experiences. Even if you make mistakes or don’t get it right the first time those become experiences you can tap into in the future. There really is no such thing as “fail” if you get something out of the experience. And just so you know, “FAIL” re-framed means “First Attempt in Learning.”
- Don’t settle for the mediocre just to avoid stepping out of your comfort zone; it’s too big a price to pay. Your challenges and risk experiences are cumulative. Every time you try something new, and allow yourself to be open to whatever experience arises, you are learning, and expanding your repertoire of life skills and self-knowledge. As you do this you also expand the size of your comfort zone.
- Leaving your comfort zone ultimately helps you to deal with change—and making change in a much better way. Life transitions are all about change. Each time you transition you move to another level. Inevitably, these life transitions transform you.
It may seem overwhelming to step into the unknown. But instead of thinking of the “big picture,” break down what you want or need to accomplish by making small changes. Small changes accumulate and each builds upon the last. Try to make small changes that take you out of the everyday and familiar, yet are not too emotionally challenging. We are all such creatures of habit. Change your daily and/or work routine. Try something new—food, music, and activities you’ve never done. Undertake a creative project of any kind in which your thinking is channeled in a new way. Add newness to your life. Be open to experience.
My takeaway: I have within myself the ability to make big change. I did it once. I can do it again.
