I don’t know about you but do you ever feel stuck? Stuck in accomplishing a goal or making a change for your life or career? I have always prided myself on being able to accomplish things and I am sure at times it looked easy for me, but the truth be told that with each new endeavor I had to break out of my comfort zone and deal with the unfamiliar and new way of doing things.
In the beginning years of my career I had a lot to overcome in order to succeed. To many people those challenges may have seemed “little” but to me they were “huge”! I designed my life around what was comfortable to me. I would book appointments that were no further than a 4-mile radius of my home so I could avoid having to drive on a highway or over a bridge. However, when I wanted to expand my business to achieve greater success that plan no longer worked. I realized I had to be willing to step out of that comfort zone… I had to drive over the BRIDGE!
I came up with a plan to book appointments on the other side of the bridge (on purpose) and then have to deal with the white knuckle scary drive across the bridge to get to those appointment.
Now that’s what I call stepping out of your comfort zone… Looking fear in the face and doing something in spite of yourself. That experience was a long time ago but the process of expanding my comfort zone and facing my doubts and fears has continued on throughout the years.
Often we only do what we are used to doing… We do what is predictable, what is safe and we limit our success because we are not willing to change, not willing to be Uncomfortable.
I have always set lofty goals…I learned each level of the company’s success steps and made a career of setting consistent goals and learning how to achieve them. The “system” was provided for me as the company grew, but the discomfort was that I had to learn the system. I had to not just LEARN, but DO the system. I had to FACE the UNKNOWN and TRYOUT the systems until I made them my own. Since I was a pioneer there was no proven path, we simply had to create one as we went by learning, experiencing and evaluating as we went to set more audacious goals and learn how to achieve them. Do you set audacious goals? Do you play it safe? There is no exceptional success without exceptional effort. It may not be comfortable to face the unknown, but it sure is more fun to strike out to live your dreams and make them happen than to settle for less than you’re capable of!
The lesson learned:
In order to move on we must realize in the beginning we will be uncomfortable and we have to accept it, keep learning, engaging what we learned, and going until we reach and surpass our goals and set new ones!
It does not matter what you have accomplished before, if you are setting a goal that is bigger than anything you have ever accomplished, then at times you may feel uncertain about how to do it and more than likely feel awkward. But you just keep going and continue believing the goal is the right one; you just have to get used to the new experience.
Brian Tracey says. “Move out of your comfort zone. You can only grow if you are willing to feel Awkward and Uncomfortable when you try something NEW.” Set a goal, walk into the unknown and find YOUR best life. Nothing about success happens until you take the first step to ACTION.
So when you set your goals, ‘Live in your Vision’ not your circumstances. Allow yourself to experience a new experience. Be willing to change how you do things, what you do and how you feel when you do them. Allow yourself to change.
I realized when we are faced with change we must….
- Say YES to the opportunity that presents itself. Then figure out how to do it.
- If your dreams don’t scare you they’re not big enough. Be courageous.
- Each time you stretch you are living in ‘Self Discovery….. realizing your power. Enjoy it!
- If it does not challenge you than it does not change you. Be brave!
- You have to get used to being uncomfortable. Persist!
- Ask your self, “Are you really happy with where you are or just comfortable?” The better, more amazing version of YOU can’t happen if you stay where you are. – Wendy Mak
- If you want something you never have had. You’ve got to do something you’ve never done. STOP being afraid of what could go wrong and think of what could go right. Be Daring!
- Don’t let fear hold you back…. What you want might be on the other side of fear. Trust!
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone. So if you’re feeling uncomfortable right now, know that the CHANGE taking place in your life is a beginning and not an ending.” – Neale Donald Walsch
COURAGE DOES NOT ALWAYS ROAR….Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, “I’ll try again tomorrow.” – Mary Ann Radmacher
This is your year…. Make 2015 your amazing year!
How have you stepped out of your comfort zone?
Posting a comment might be for you a “stepping out of your comfort zone” experience.
Go for it!
