It’s human nature to stay in our comfort zone, to lean into the familiar and to avoid taking big risks. We’re drawn to the path of least resistance even when we know that it’s restricting our growth.
Some of life’s most remarkable experiences and opportunities for personal growth lie just beyond the borders of our comfort zone.
Greatness is born of change and risk. It can be difficult to identify self-sabotaging behaviors and correct them once they’ve become ingrained in our minds. Therefore, moving beyond your comfort zone is essential to pursuing your intended level of greatness.
The following 7 questions are designed to help you identify the areas of your life that are keeping you stuck. Record your answers in a journal and reflect back on them often.
7 Questions to Escape Your Comfort Zone
Spirituality, Professional Development, Service
1.On a scale of 1-10, how would you rate your spirituality? For some, spirituality is on a spectrum of time spent in church to time spent in nature or even mind-body practices like yoga. How do you feel most connected to your mind, body, higher being and your inherent greatness?
2.What have you done recently for professional development? What are you reading? When was the last time you attended a conference or completed a course on a topic in your industry? Do you have a coach or mentor?
3.What are you doing in service to others? Like spirituality, being in service to others is on a spectrum of serving in your church to being a caregiver to a loved one to volunteering at a shelter to helping a strange in need. Reflect back on the ways you’ve been in service to others, big and small. Consider charities or causes you might support this year.
Career, Time Management
4.How will you earn your next bonus at work? You are either at the table or on the table and when it comes to work. What steps are you taking to excel at work – the answer here may lie in your efforts toward your professional development.
5.What tools can you use to help better manage your time? How you spend your time matters. You may think you’re short on time but when you think of all the hours spent texting, scrolling, liking and commenting, you may find that you have more time than you think. Where do you find the most time leaks during your day? When are you most productive? How do you prefer to keep track of your tasks?
Fear, Your Narrative
6.What things scare you on a daily basis? Fear is false evidence appearing real and it can lessen our ambitions and our sense of self. But fear can also push us to face our challenges head on in order to step closer to our intended level of greatness. What are you afraid of and how can you use that fear to push the limits of your comfort zone?
7.What is your narrative? If you struggle with low self-esteem, you likely inherited it from a spouse, peer or parent. It’s up to you to change that narrative – you can be fearless, inspiring, resourceful, curious and whatever else you wish to be.
If you’ve ever wondered what’s on the other side of your comfort zone, you’ve longed for deeper self-discovery, improved personal development and maybe even more excitement. Or, maybe you’ve simply wanted to live your life with more curiosity and ease. You can return to your answers to the above 7 questions as often as you need a reminder of the power you hold to push the limits of your comfort zone.
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This blog post was inspired by one of the many self-assessments included in my book, Hangin’ Round The Barrel – How To Get Paid What You’re Worth and Be Worth What You’re Paid.” The book is available for purchase at this link. If you’re inspired by this assessment, Hire Art as a speaker at your next event.
