Most times, fear of the unknown is what makes us feel safe in a certain position. This position is what most people refer to as a “comfort zone.” However, the comfort zone in itself is a trap, as it prevents us from further growth and exploration. Many individuals are aware that they need to step out of their comfort zone to reach their full potential but don’t understand how to take the first step. That’s okay, as the first step is often the hardest. Read on to learn how to step out of your comfort zone.
Also read:Why Is Change So Hard and How to Adapt
Start with a clear goal
Saying you want to step out of your comfort zone isn’t exactly a goal. Ascribing milestones and objectives to your conviction is what makes it a goal. Once you have a goal, it makes it easier to define steps to achieve it.
Let’s take a blog for an example. It is generally believed that it takes hours, even years of hard work for a blog to receive hundreds of thousands of daily visitors. While for some people a hundred thousand may be a good start (comfort zone), for others, it is a bottleneck they aim to pass through on their way to a larger number.
The late Nelson Mandela once said, “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” The point is, impossible things get done because some dream chasers chose to break out of the “impossible” confinement by stepping out of their comfort zone. Remember, good things don’t come easy. So, what are your goals?
Put a timeline to it
Without setting a timeline, you won’t push yourself enough. You know why? Your subconscious mind holds on to the fact that you still have enough time.
It is easier to get your brain into overdrive when you work against a timeline. A goal like “I want to be a millionaire” won’t get you anywhere – rather, it will stabilize you in your comfort zone. But a goal like “I want to hit my first $5 million in five years” is more like it. The tight timeline pushes you out of your comfort zone.
Don’t limit when or how you start
Waiting for the perfect time to take a step is a common trap. a form of procrastination in disguise. For example, statements like “When I get a new laptop, I’ll start blogging,” or “ I don’t know much about blogging; maybe I should take a course in blogging before I start,” are typical excuses we tell ourselves.
What exactly is your goal? To start a blog or to compile a million reasons why you shouldn’t start it? To achieve anything in life, you’ll have to apply the slogan of Just do it! The best time to take a step toward your goal is NOW!
Face your fears
The fear of failure has confined many to their comfort zone roller coaster. They don’t want to fail and get ridiculed. However, the real failure lies in zero attempt.
When you fail at anything, learn from your mistakes, and you’ll do it better next time. Imagine if most startup owners gave up after getting the first no from venture capitalists? Then we may not have the likes of Clubhouse or Slack.
Success is like that. The moment you hit your goal, you’ll forget about all the years of failures. But if you’re afraid of failure, you may never accomplish anything. Instead of avoiding your failure, include failure management in your game plan.
Conclusion
While all the tips are important, the first tip is more important than others. It serves as the foundation for others. Without a clear set goal, stepping out of your comfort zone is meaningless and will not achieve anything because it is not geared towards any goal. Define your goal for how to step out of your comfort zone, then follow through with these other tips.