We all like to stick to things that we’re familiar with. However, where’s the fun if we don’t step out of our comfort zone and try something new? Life has granted us full opportunities to explore things outside our safe haven. Here we will discover the things we thought we were not capable of, which in one way or the other, makes life worth living.
Are you stuck in your safe haven? It’s boring and, in extreme cases, a dangerous state. Dust off all those fears and misgivings you’ve been having and explore your full potential.
What is comfort zone?
PositivePsychology.com, a management thinker Judith Bardwick, coined the phrase, comfort zone, in her 1991 work Danger in the Comfort Zone to mean “a behavioral state within which a person operates in an anxiety-neutral condition, using a limited set of behaviors to deliver a steady level of performance, usually without a sense of risk.”
In simple terms, it refers to following regular habits and routines that are familiar where there are low levels of stress and anxiety with the little-to-no risk involved. We adopt a behavioral pattern because they are comfortable, and we don’t like to stress ourselves. The flip side is that people who live in their safe haven not only take fewer risks but also take fewer rewards.
Why comfort zone is dangerous
First, if you want to improve your life, you want to get out of your comfort zone. Sure, some things might inhibit you from making that decision, like fear of the unknown, fear of change, and fear of failure; here’s the news – WE ALL HAVE THOSE FEARS. So you’re not the only one. If you’re still stuck, here are seven reasons why your safe haven is actually dangerous:
Comfort zone blocks growth
How do you want to use your full potential if you don’t encourage growth in your life? It makes you feel contented and secure even in your shitty situation. You fear any form of change will automatically stunt your progress and growth in an ever-changing world. Be careful because you’re going to wake up one day to see that everyone has left you behind because you refused to grow.
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Comfort zone brings boredom
Have you ever used something repeatedly until you’re completely bored with it? Yeah, that’s how it feels. Already, you’re lacking progress in life; the next thing is you’re dissatisfied and bored. Hey, you’re missing out on all the exciting things about life.
It encourages hardship
So you’ve been a teacher for donkey years and refused to get a PGD and Masters Degree in Education. Suddenly, a new administration comes in and promotes that young PHD holder employed last year to become your boss while you remain in your stagnant position. Even worse, your appointment is terminated for “no reason,” and you go home wondering why your village people are after your progress.
Wake up; it’s not your village, people. It’s you who refused to step out of your safe haven in your career. While you were comfortable with your first degree, others are making efforts to improve their skills by getting Masters and PHD in their various fields. They will eventually enjoy the juicy parts of their careers while you will remain stagnant where you are or dumped like thrash. Before you know it, you’re scrambling for even menial ways to survive.
Triggers negative mindset
Everybody is now your enemy. You’re passing negative energy around like a foul-smelling gas. It’s because you’re idle in your safe haven. When you’re productive, you won’t have time for any negativity. But you choose to be in your comfort zone, and yet you complain about everyone and everything and refuse to be proactive in solving your problem.
Lack of drive and purpose
I once knew a very intelligent man who, from all indications could have been a great asset to his family and society. However, he had a younger and richer cousin who provided for him and his family. So the man chose to relax and enjoy his cousin’s benevolence until they both fell out. The cousin stopped helping him, and the man began to struggle to even feed.
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Today, the man is roaming around the village like an efulefu and abandoned his wife and children to fend for themselves. That is what comfort zone does to people. When you’re comfortable in your situation, you will feel no drive to pursue goals or purpose. Eventually, your life will make a shameful downturn.
Missed opportunity
People have opportunities all the time. Some will utilize theirs for their good, while others will choose to waste theirs. Successful people didn’t achieve their success by waiting for things to happen to them. When you’re in your comfort zone, you’re just waiting for things that never happen. Therefore, you can’t get ahead of others because you refused to grab your opportunity.
You can’t live life to the fullest
You’re going to grow old, regretting why you didn’t make certain decisions while still having the energy for them. Life is all about growth. Sure might make mistakes along the way; that’s inevitable. But you will learn and become a better person. However, if you choose not to live life because you’re scared of going outside your comfort zone, you will spend the rest of your life with “what ifs.”
Comfort zone facts
Here, we’ll examine the pros and cons of the comfort zone.
Pros
- Staying in your comfort zone helps you draw your experience into things you’re already familiar with.
- It inspires confidence and limits anxiety.
- You take less risk because you’re in familiar territory.
- Less stress and mental energy to do whatever you want.
Cons
- Limited room for growth.
- No risk, no reward, which means you won’t succeed in anything new.
- You can’t learn useful skills because you refuse to come out of your comfort zone.
- Procrastination is your second name.
- You can fall into hardship because the world is ever-changing.
- You will miss many useful opportunities to make your life better.
- You don’t have any drive or purpose of maximizing your full potential.
- Staying in your comfort zone will inhibit you from living life to the fullest.
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Getting out of your comfort zone
If you want to get out of your comfort zone, here are things you should try:
- List things to do outside your comfort zone. It’s called an uncomfortable list, and it will help you visualize what you want to do.
- Be clear about your goals to overcome your comfort zone.
- Be honest with yourself. It’s okay to admit that you’re scared of taking risks.
- Take baby steps. You mustn’t fulfill everything on your uncomfortable list at once. One at a time is the best.
- See failure as a teacher. You’re probably going to make a lot of mistakes on this journey. That’s okay. It’s simply a lesson to be better.
- Befriend achievers. Hanging with successful people who don’t mind taking risks will motivate you to become a risk taker.
- Focus on the positive results of getting out of your comfort zone.
- Have fun stepping out of your comfort zone. Be grateful for whatever you have achieved out of it and enjoy it to the fullest.
Comfort zone quotes
- Everything you ever wanted is on the other side of your comfort zone.
- Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.
- If you put yourself in a position where you have to stretch outside your comfort zone, then you are forced to expand your consciousness.
- The one thing you learn is when you can step out of your comfort zone and be uncomfortable; you see what you’re made of and who you are.
- The further you get away from yourself, the more challenging it is. Not to be in your comfort zone is great fun.
- When you go out of your comfort zone, and it works, there’s nothing more satisfying.
- Step outside your comfort zone because that’s the only way you’re going to grow.
- As you move outside of your comfort zone, what was once unknown and frightening becomes your new normal.
- In life, we grow and step out of our comfort zone… but the more I do it, the better.
- Before anything great is really achieved, your comfort zone must be disturbed.
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