“Nothing ventured, nothing gained.”
It essentially means that if we don’t engage in new experiences, we don’t gain new perspectives. And this still holds true today. You’re not growing because you refuse to get uncomfortable. You’re not growing because you refuse to engage in new experiences. You’re stagnant, way too deep into your comfort zone. You’re not growing because every shackle clung onto your comfort continues to hold you back. And thus, you’ve rendered yourself incapable of change. Comfort zone is a psychological state in which a person feels at ease because they’re not being tested.
Almost everything you need to achieve your goals requires new skills, habits, knowledge, and experiences. To go from where you are to where you want to be, you must do things you’ve never done before.
In the warmth of our comfort zone, life feels safe and familiar. More often than we care to admit, finding the motivation to leave is hard. But the more we’re stuck in our comfort zone, the more opportunities we miss to fully immerse ourselves in the human experience.
Learning how to get out of your comfort zone takes willpower and a change in mindset. Each step you take to expand your comfort zone leads to personal growth, learning, and success. In your comfort zone, everything is predictable, which makes you feel safe. For example, you know exactly what to expect when you take the same route to work every day. When you think of leaving or expanding your comfort zone, you’re met with uncertainty.
Modern life has not changed us; we still seek comfort, including within our own mind. This phenomenon is known as a “comfort zone”: a behavioral space encompassing familiarity, safety and security. A place where our activities and behaviors consist of routines and patterns that minimize stress, anxiety and risk. And, just as previous generations feared stepping out of their peaceful environment, so too do we avoid stepping out of our comfort zone.
Staying within your comfort zone prevents you from trying new things that might make you feel uncomfortable. Without new activities, challenges, and goals, you are unable to change within this behavioral space and will grow stagnant. It is a beautiful space, but it inhibits growth.
In truth, comfort zones are not really about comfort, they are about fear. Break the chains of fear to get outside. Once you do, you will learn to enjoy the process of taking risks and growing in the process.
