Aruna Krishnan On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally and Professionally

Acknowledgment. Being able to admit to ourselves that we are “stuck in a rut” is the first step toward change. If we are in denial, we’ll be more prone to staying in our comfort zone. Acknowledgment provides the needed motivation to kick-start the process.

It feels most comfortable to stick with what we are familiar with. But anyone who has achieved great success will tell you that true growth comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. What are some ways that influential people have pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to grow both personally and professionally? As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Aruna Krishnan.

Aruna Krishnan is a Technology Leader and Bestselling Author. She is an advocate for Mental Health and Women’s Empowerment. Her mission in life is to give people hope and help them find happiness through self-discovery. Aruna has been featured in Authority Magazine, Thrive Global, and WomLEAD.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?

I was born in India and moved to Zambia when I was a year old. My favorite memories include trips with my childhood friends to the Munda Wanga Gardens, Victoria Falls, and Kafue National Park.

Living in Africa for over 18 years, I had the opportunity to immerse myself in multiple cultures helping me to develop a more diverse view of the world and broaden my perspectives.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Live in the moment. This quote is a great reminder for me to be present. I used to get hung up on things that happened in the past. Whether it was about my perceived failures or difficulties in my relationships (both personal and professional), I would worry to the point of feeling debilitated and pessimistic about the quality of my life. Mindfulness taught me to focus on the present and helped me let go of the negativity I was harboring to forge a new path; one that would include self-awareness and empathy for others.

Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?

7 Lessons for Living from the Dying by Karen. M. Wyatt. The book shares lessons the author learned from her patients in hospice care. The ideas were mostly re-iterations of concepts I was familiar with but the book made me realize that too many people get caught up in the things that, in the end, are not that important. The book’s subtitle, “How to Nurture What Really Matters,” captures this sentiment.

Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What does “getting outside of your comfort zone” mean?

Getting outside of our comfort zone requires us to challenge ourselves and seek experiences that make us learn, test our limits, or demonstrate courage.

Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?

When we get into (and stay in) our comfort zone, we limit our outlook to what we know at that time. Being willing to extend ourselves helps us understand our aptitude for learning, enabling us to recalibrate our abilities. Navigating outside our normal (self-imposed) limits shows us possibilities that we may not have known.

Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?

Growth trajectories can range from gradual to exponential. The closer we stay to our comfort zone the slower the progress. The interactions and the adversities that we face, even within our comfort zone, give us a chance to stretch our skills within a familiar environment. These opportunities however still shield us from exploring our full potential.

Can you share some anecdotes from your personal experience? Can you share a story about a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone and how it helped you grow? How does it feel to take those first difficult steps?

I stepped out of my comfort zone when I decided to run a marathon! I could barely run for two miles before I embarked on this journey. I wasn’t sure it was achievable so I started small, working my way through a training plan that would take me up to twelve miles. My endurance increased as I progressed through the six-month plan, enabling me to complete a half marathon! I repeated the same process to get ready for my first marathon (a little over twenty-six miles). When I crossed the finish line, I realized I had more inner strength and willpower than I gave myself credit. This feeling permeated all aspects of my life, giving me the courage to step out of my comfort zone at work and pursue new hobbies and ventures.

What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?

• Acknowledgment. Being able to admit to ourselves that we are “stuck in a rut” is the first step toward change. If we are in denial, we’ll be more prone to staying in our comfort zone. Acknowledgment provides the needed motivation to kick-start the process.
• Accept Failure (as a stepping stone). We all have an innate desire to succeed. However, change takes time and could include several mini-failures before we reach our desired outcome. “Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable” is an iterative process requiring us to accept small setbacks and reflect on how we can edge towards our new goal i.e. note what adjustments we can make to overcome problems we encounter.
• Ask Questions. Curiosity exposes us to new aspects of life. The more we learn, the more we can make choices that pique our interest. Investigating the pros and cons of an opportunity helps us prepare for potential pitfalls.
• Align with your passion. It’s important to choose interests that excite and energize us. This motivates us to stay the course, improving the prospect of positive results.
• Advance with a plan. Preparation helps lessen our anxiety. Having a plan gives us a playbook for what to change and when to stop and adjust. This high-level guide helps us move forward a step at a time making our goals seem less intimidating.

From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?

• Fear of the Unknown. Uncertainty makes us uncomfortable. The discomfort associated with doing something where the potential outcome is unknown usually deters us from going in that direction.
• Fear of Failure. Being open to “failure” is not always easy. The aversion to this type of vulnerability makes people opt to stay in their comfort zones.
• Satisfaction with the Status Quo. The need to get out of our comfort zone is driven by our desire to grow and explore. There are two possibilities for not wanting to pursue growth:

We do not feel the need to challenge ourselves i.e. no desire to expand our horizons.

We’ve tackled many (or enough) opportunities for transformation through the years.

There is a well-known quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt that says, “Do something that scares you every day”. What exactly does this mean to you? Is there inherent value in doing something that pushes you out of your comfort zone, even if it does not relate to personal or professional growth? For example, if one is uncomfortable about walking alone at night should they purposely push themselves to do it often for the sake of going beyond their comfort zone? Can you please explain what you mean?

Every major change or endeavor requires us to assess its associated risk. Understanding how we need to prepare, what can go wrong (and how to mitigate that risk), and if the benefit outweighs the cost feeds into the decision of whether to pursue that change. Walking alone at night usually goes against basic safety precautions for many reasons. If safety is in question, then generally caution prevails.

For thrill-seekers, like me, we just need to be clear on the safety measures in place and the chances of something going wrong (and being comfortable with that amount of risk).

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?

#Awareness.

The digital age has given us an easy excuse to tune out our thoughts and surroundings. It is a form of escapism for many. Whether we are in an airport or traveling to work by train, we often see 90% of people absorbed in their phones; unaware of the announcements, with no sense of time, and oblivious to their surroundings. This habit tunes them out from reality and degrades the quality of their social interactions. Awareness can help us take better care of ourselves and develop empathy (and be present) for others, creating the possibility of a more harmonious universe.

Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!

If only I could turn back time by a month. I would have loved to meet Nobel Prize winner Daniel Kahneman. I am fascinated with his work on Behavioral Economics i.e. the relationship between decision-making and psychology. I have a keen interest in Psychology and would have enjoyed discussing the groundbreaking lessons in his book, Thinking, Fast and Slow.

How can our readers follow you online?

They can follow me on LinkedIn

They can also find my books on Amazon at Aruna Krishnan’s Author Profile

Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!