“That’s the easiest question you’ve ever asked me…”
The easiest question…
So I’m on the phone last week to a wonderful guy and fabulous business mentor. I’m talking over my plans for a new programme and want to pick his brains on two ways to deliver the training.
Option A is easy and comfortable for me. What I’ve done before. Tried and tested. Quick to get up and running.
Option B is a bit more of a stretch – a bit of a longer process. Nothing beyond what I can do, just beyond what I really want to do. It pushes me more. There’s more risk and more uncertainty. It’s probably a better result in the long term. But….
Resistance
…I’m having some resistance. “So, what do you think,” I ask him?
“Cathy” – he laughs – “that’s the easiest question you’ve ever asked me! Get out of your comfort zone. Always.
“Remember, it’s not about how much you get done in a day; it’s about how much fear you get through. How much you push yourself to grow.”
OK – that was pretty definite! I know he’s right. Of course he is.
But is it always that easy?
It isn’t always easy to take that step outside our comfort zone. And it isn’t always the right time.
I’m a runner. And I know, from painful experience, that if I push my training too far too fast, I get injured. And an injury can set me back months, even years. I need to stretch to grow and keep it fun. But I need to step it up in manageable chunks.
Growth and recovery
Growth and recovery. That’s the perfect balance for my running.
And it’s the perfect balance for my business. Growth and recovery.
I’m at the stage I need to grow. My mentor knows that – he knows me. There’s no way he would push me if it wasn’t right for me and he would have given someone else a different answer.
We need to develop that self-awareness. And we need those around to know it. How far to push us. What little encouragements to give us so that we don’t become stale.
If we grow too fast, we don’t have the foundation. The muscle strength. The support networks. The knowledge and experience.
But if we stay inside our comfort zone then it’s, well…, too comfortable. And comfortable becomes boring. It doesn’t help us do our best work.
Get out of your comfort zone
I know that in business there’s always more to do. Always challenges and places you can reach to get outside your comfort zone. Take it in chunks. Know your limitations.
Know when and where you need to stretch to keep it fun and fulfilling. To do your best work.
And know when you need to stay in recovery a while longer so that you develop enough strength for the next burst.
I’d love to know where you’ve stepped outside YOUR comfort zone. Where you took the deep breath and went for it even though it was new, a little scary, and where there might not have been your usual safety net. Just leave a comment and join the conversation!
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I love the sports analogy, it reminds me of my yoga practise where I face that all the time. It also teaches me to accept failure as a part of growing.
In business “failure” is a scary term, it implies pink slips or bad reviews, but it can be as simple as not meeting all your expectations.
Recently I had a plant manager change and he correctly noticed we were all living too much in our comfort zones. He quickly pushed us out but never allowed for that recovery period. I know he was right, but I see also why he ended up being replaced (50% turnover does attract attention).
I remember the ‘push & regroup’ message, I think that’s a winner
I got out of my comfort zone about 5 years ago. My industry was changing and the opportunities to grow were diminishing. It was the only career I’d known, as a radio host. I double checked the industry earnings & future projections for large to medium radio companies and the truth was in the numbers. So, I decided to partner with my husband to create our own brand. I was scared to death and felt very lost at first, after all, my career had been my identity. I’m so happy I did it! I’ve learned more than I could have ever imagined and continue to do so. I pushed myself out of my comfort zone in my career too…but it sure feels good to do it for something I own. Thanks for this amazing post Cathy and good luck with Option B!
Mary-Lynn recently posted… 2 Questions to Live Your Dream Life