Breaking out of Your Comfort Zone

“Fear doesn’t exist anywhere except in the mind.”
-Dale Carnegie

In our last blog, we talked about the concept of fear (false evidence appearing real). This time around, we’d like to expand on that by encouraging you to confront those fears and abandon the familiar. Many times, your comfort zone only exists because other people put you in that box. Sometimes, it’s even there because you told yourself what your limits were. But you don’t need to operate in fear. Instead, find the boundaries of your comfort zone and escape. Here’s how. 

“Comfort zones are where dreams go to die” 

If you want to break out of your comfort zone, you must explore the psychological source of your limitations. Ask yourself the following questions:

•  If I move beyond my limits, what’s the worst that could happen?
  • Why am I afraid of those possibilities?
• Am I afraid of change?
  • If so, why?
• Do I feel I deserve more for my life? 
  • If not, why?
• What resources/skills do I need in order to thrive beyond my limits?
  • Do I have them? If not, are they obtainable? 

By honestly answering these questions, you’ll be able to find the necessary tools to fight your fears. As we’ve said before, fear is not rooted in reality. Fear is nothing more than your mind’s lack of confidence in your ability to manage what comes next. But you are capable of conquering anything that comes your way, and you can achieve success, no matter the challenge.

“Spread your wings and fly.” 

Think of a baby bird, safe and comfortable in its egg. All of its nutrients and protection can be found inside of the shell. But as that chick matures and grows, the same shell that previously served as protection becomes confining. Now, the shell is the only thing standing between the baby bird and its true purpose. Birds were not made to live in eggs forever, they were made to fly. In order to soar, it must leave its comfort zone. 

Just like that bird’s destiny existed outside of its comfort zone, so does yours. Don’t overthink and trick yourself into believing that your current successes are the pinnacle of your lifetime achievements- they are not! Where your comfort zone ends is where your goals should begin. It’s time to be courageous, avoid negative self-talk, and press the STOP button on doubting your potential.

If you allow fear to guide your actions, life’s highest levels of success will always be outside of your reach. Take the limits off. Remember, growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone, the magic happens outside of it. Don’t settle for doing what you’ve always done. Step outside of the box and do the things that scare you. Listen to the people that believe in you and go beyond the boundaries you’ve created in your mind. You are capable of so much more than what your fear tells you is possible. Believe in yourself, do the work, and reap the rewards. You’ve got this!