Can You Grow In Your Comfort Zone?
How will you feel if I say, “You can grow remaining in your comfort zone.”
We human beings have a rebellion mindset. When we are asked to change, we resist. So when we are told, “Step out of your comfort zone because that’s the only way you're going to grow”, it immediately makes us uncomfortable.
A comfort zone is a psychological state in which you feel familiar with the things and perceive being at ease and in control of the environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible. This implies that, provided there is no change in ‘anxiety’ or the skills applied, the level of performance will remain constant.
So, are you looking for a constant level of performance or growth?
Is it comfortable to remain in the Comfort Zone?
Yes and No.
Yes — If you feel complacent with where you are and what you have, then congratulations! Comfort Zone is a comfortable place for you.
No -If you are growth-oriented, looking to do more in life then your comfort zone is not a comfortable place for you.
We already know that comfort zone is the place where a steady level of performance is possible so it’s not a place for growth.
On the other hand, we are uncomfortable leaving our comfort zone.
Let’s look at it from a different angle.
If you love growth then you can never be comfortable in your comfort zone, since it’s not a place for growth.
So as a growth-oriented person your focus is growth and not comfort, so you will be always uncomfortable in your comfort zone for not being able to grow.
Is it possible to make the comfort zone a comfortable place for a growth-oriented person?
How to make Comfort Zone a Growth Zone?
It’s now clear that as a growth-oriented person, feeling uncomfortable is part of nature even if you try to remain in your comfort zone. So why not take advantage of this discomfort?
To ensure that this discomfort doesn't become a pain, we can apply the formula that I call, “Shifting The Comfort Zone”.
When you tell yourself of leaving the comfort zone, immediately your reptilian brain will resist because it’s part of the brain which ensures our survival and that of our species. This survival instinct is to protect you from all possibilities that can harm us and, was most relevant in human primitive stages. Even today it has its utility and relevance but in many cases, especially when it’s related to growth, it works against.
What we are targeting here is growth and not survival. Hence you can’t be guided by the reptilian brain when it comes to growth rather it has to be controlled by Neocortex which is responsible for reasoning and planning.
To make the process smooth and painless, plan to gradually shift your comfort zone rather than thinking of leaving the comfort zone. Though you are doing the same thing but you are tweaking your brain to do it in a simpler manner.
From my personal experience, I can say that such tweaks play a great role in convincing our brain to behave with the least resistance. Our brain is a complex mechanism and tweaks help to get desired results.
As shown in the diagram, you take gradual and consistent steps to shift your comfort zone towards your goal. Thus instead of moving out of the comfort zone, you shift it and you will remain in your comfort zone without compromising your progress towards your goal.
How I started regular exercising?
I always knew the importance of regular exercise in the morning and wanted to implement it but the thought of sparing 30 minutes for it looked like a huge task. I kept on procrastinating for long.
Someone suggested me to start with 3-5 minutes without thinking much about the benefits or anything else. I took that suggestion and without my realization, in 20 days' time, I was doing 15 minutes of exercise.
From 3–5 minutes of comfort zone within 20 days my new comfort zone was 15 minutes of exercise. The result is, for over 20 years I have been doing 25–30 minutes of daily exercise. Now, I feel uncomfortable the day I’m not able to exercise.
This formula can be applied for any type of change that you know or have identified for your growth but have been procrastinating due to the discomfort of moving out of your comfort zone.
Start with baby steps and see how it transforms you in a big way. It works best in areas you already know that change is needed but have been procrastinating.
Learn to shift your comfort zone, to remain in your comfort zone, and grow.
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