Are you in your comfort zone? Learn how to get out of it in 11 steps!
How to avoid becoming complacent as a professional
What will we see in this post
Opening your own business is a task that requires a lot of commitment and dedication. Because of this, many people get scared and put their dreams on hold. In many cases, amazing opportunities for growth slip away, and you can’t make the same mistake!
You’ve probably heard the expression get out of your comfort zone in content about entrepreneurship, haven’t you?
Well, this attitude is critical for you to take the first step towards your goals and objectives!
First of all, you need to understand if you are stuck in your comfort zone. Then, you need to know how to get out of it.
In this post, we’ll answer all of your questions on the subject and we’ll provide you with 11 tips so that you can make the most of your potential. Keep reading and find out!
What is a comfort zone?
Describing this situation is easier than you think.
For example:
All events that take place in your everyday life are part of your comfort zone. When you become accustomed to an activity, you perform it automatically and don’t care whether anything new happens.
In other words, a comfort zone puts us in a bubble in which we’re protected from the unknown and unusual. No matter how much you complain or find it unbearable to live under these conditions, you still fear losing your stability, especially your financial stability.
This false sense of security makes people always have a certain behavior towards their coworkers, neighbors, relatives and friends. This way, you become unprepared and are unable to deal with situations and problems that are beyond your knowledge.
Why is it important to get out of your comfort zone?
Facing challenges is part of any society’s evolution.
Imagine if no one had ever created an alphabet to help us communicate?
Perhaps, language and communication would have taken much longer to be developed.
Having the same attitude and expecting different results is an incorrect assumption and won’t add any value to your work or your personality.
Those who get out of their comfort zone aren’t afraid of taking risks, and are often surprised by what they achieve. Of course, each person adapts differently in similar situations, but the simple fact of taking risks already provides more knowledge.
For example:
No one is born with good leadership characteristics. On the other hand, anyone can have good speaking skills and the confidence to lead a team, But to do so, it is necessary to push your limits in order to acquire this new skill.
The responsibility of getting out of your comfort zone is yours alone. Therefore, you need to know your skills and where you want to go.
How do you know if you’re in your comfort zone?
You have learned what a comfort zone is and how it can be harmful to your personal and especially your professional life.
But how do you know if you’re in this situation?
Well, there are a few warning signs that can help you identify that you need to take some risks and try new things.
- Your career isn’t moving forward: If you never get the promotion of your dreams or a better job, this might be a sign that you’re being complacent. Perhaps you don’t feel or see the need to invest in your professional improvement by taking courses.
- You wake up and don’t feel happy: If waking up in the morning to go to work is no longer pleasurable, this is a sign that you’re in your comfort zone. If your field or job no longer satisfy you, changing careers or company might be a solution you haven’t even thought about.
- You can’t remember the last time you did something new: When we don’t feel challenged or when we do the same thing over and over again, we normally become complacent. If you no longer remember the last time you faced a challenging situation, this is a sign that you need to get out of your comfort zone for a refreshing change.
- You often procrastinate: When we are dissatisfied with a situation or don’t feel challenged, it’s quite common to start leaving postponing everything and not acting. Procrastination and the absence of action is also a warning sign that you’ve become complacent with your current situation.
- You’re afraid of change: Finally, one of the greatest signs that you’re in your comfort zone is a fear of changing, even when it’s necessary. If simply thinking about change, whether radical or not, terrifies you, perhaps it’s time to recognize that you’re in your comfort zone.
How do you get out of a comfort zone?
Getting out of a comfort zone requires much more psychological than technical preparation.
Check out a few tips that might help you out:
1. Discover your potential
Before taking any action, you need to carefully analyze all points in our life.
Answering the following questions can help you become better oriented:
- Am I happy with my current situation?
- How do I position myself in my job? And with my family?
- Which dreams have I abandoned throughout my life? Why did I do this?
- What are my hobbies?
- Which skills have I developed so far?
- What is getting in the way of my performance?
This list may vary according to each person’s profile. But, answering these questions honestly is the first step to getting out of your comfort zone.
Moreover, that answers you find today will be different from those you’ll find if you perform the same analysis in the future. This occurs because we develop different skills according to the efforts we make in our lives. Therefore, be prepared for constant changes in your journey.
2. Be flexible
Flexibility is an essential characteristic of those who know themselves and are ready to deal with unexpected situations. We usually have no control over those around us, since they are free to act and think any way they want.
So, don’t be so radical. Try to adapt to the scenarios that arise, more than that, try to learn from the new situations that come up.
3. Study more about various subjects
Since our school days, we’re used to study only what we like. Some people prefer exact science, other choose the humanities. This form of thinking limits creativity a little, although it’s quite widespread.
A successful entrepreneur must always be willing to learn new content.
If you’re a mathematical genius, learn a new language. Those who like poetry can learn how to play a new musical instrument, and vice versa.
Invest in knowledge that can add value to your professional life, but don’t forget to do things that interest you. By following both paths, you’ll be able to become a more complete and fulfilled individual.
4. Eliminate your fears and concerns
Feeling afraid is natural and serves to protect you from danger. However, excessive fear is harmful to your personal development, because it gets in the way of your relationships and achieving new experiences in your everyday life.
Curing yourself from fear is also easier than you might imagine. To do so, just face what causes this feeling.
A situation that hinders the performance of many entrepreneurs is their difficulty in speaking in public, and this characteristic is a fundamental premise to be successful in any field. So, do everything you can to add speaker to your resume.
Creating a YouTube channel is a great tip for these cases. Internet is technology that brings people together and allows information to be exchanged at any time and place.
YouTube brings you closer to people, albeit indirectly, through videos. So, record videos on the subjects you master and develop your public speaking skills.
5. Do activities that develop your creativity
Many people make the mistake of believing that only admen, artists and musicians need to be creative.
You need to be creative to choose a cool activity for the weekend, for example. And it shouldn’t be any different when getting out of your comfort zone.
This skill requires constant practice. So, perform artistic activities, play with your nephews and nieces, and also with your children, and take more risks. Also, keep questioning your routine and the activities you perform daily.
Is there a more creative way of making a presentation at work?
You’ll only know if you ask yourself.
6. Create good networking
Meeting new people is a great way of getting out of your comfort zone. A simple conversation during your coffee break can result in a friendship or even a partnership to start your own business. Therefore, don’t be afraid to take part in events, add new contacts and get to know other realities and opinions.
Take these opportunities to be inspired by professionals who have been through it all and think outside the box. These profiles are always willing to help those who wish to get out of their comfort zone, and this might be a great opportunity to acquire new knowledge.
On our YouTube channel, we have a series of videos of people who got out of their comfort zone, just watch Diego Ishida’s story:
7. Try something new every day
Getting out of your comfort zone requires daily effort to overcome obstacles. In fact, you’ll always be challenging yourself and seeking new stimuli for your life. So, be on the lookout for new experiences, such as:
- Listening to different music genres
- Taking a different route to work
- Planning a trip to an unusual destination
- Visiting a different museum
- Eating at a restaurant you don’t know.
These small changes in habits can lead to something bigger, such as changing jobs, work while traveling or creating your own business.
8. Do activities on your own
Going out with friends and sharing moments with family are activities that show us that our lives don’t merely revolve around meetings and crowded e-mail inboxes. However, you shouldn’t become too attached to having company.
Surely, you’ve given up on a trip or going to the movies because you didn’t have any company, right?
Many people go through these situations because they feel embarrassed or are used to always having someone readily available.
Try to do a few activities on your own. You’ll see that this time is great for your self-discovery.
9. Share your opinion and accept feedback
If you aren’t used to expressing your feelings, it’s time to rethink your attitude. These activities, although simple, are essential to get you out of your comfort zone, because they require courage, especially when criticizing a boss.
Also, be prepared to listen to what others have to say about you and analyze everything that was said, always thinking about how you can improve.
The solution to a problem that keeps you up at night might come from a conversation with friends and coworkers in a bar.
10. Create goals
Goals are widely used to guide a company’s growth. They serve to motivate the staff and show the path to be followed. This way, it’s also possible to use them on a personal level in order to get out of your comfort zone.
Make a list of activities that you want to accomplish and set a deadline for each one. Just be careful not to be trying to achieve the unachievable. This attitude hinders your personal and professional development.
Read a new book every two months, go to a social event every week, or then, do different physical exercises every day. All of these activities are examples of what you can put into practice to get out of your comfort zone.
11. Tune out from social media
It’s no secret. We spend way too much time online and it interrupts the time we could be spending in nature or reading a book.
Go in the opposite direction and tune out from social media for a few hours or even a few days. Use this tempo to interact with different people, do community service, practice sports or learn how to cook, for example.
Technology is essential for our society’s evolution, but it needs to be used wisely, improving interactions between people and not driving them away.
If you set aside a short time to catch up with your social media profiles, you’ll see that you’ll have more time to invest in professional training and carrying out personal projects.
Don’t wait till tomorrow to get started
Many issues need to be considered when you get out of your comfort zone.
At these times, you need to dedicate yourself daily to the achievement of what you want. So, follow the 11 tips in this post and find out the best way of doing this.
And if you wish to learn a bit more about this subject, check out how changing jobs after the age of 30 can help you find new horizons in your life.
