Have you ever felt scared of moving out of your comfort zone?
Of course everyone did. right?
Imagine treading an unknown ground without the security of a safe landing. Travelling without knowing where you're headed to. That's a truly daunting scenario!
So most of us just settle down on what we know and what we have. It's like, "Why would I go out when I can just sit on my couch, play video games, watch Netflix or surf my Facebook feed? That's what I know and I'm comfortable with it!"
But the moment we start feeding ourselves with that comfort, that's the moment we ruin ourselves.
As what TED Talk Speaker Bill Eckstrom said, "What makes you comfortable can ruin you. And what makes you uncomfortable is the only way to grow."
So how do we conquer our comfort zones? How do we MOVE OUT and Move UP?
I may not be the right person to give this advice. But allow me to share my two cents.
1. Never make excuses
Here's one thing: Excuses are B*llsh*t!
It's just another way of saying "I can't do it!" You're just getting uncomfortable situations out of the way.
Saying your excuses is just a pitfall as you let opportunities slip away. Be careful of saying your excuses because chances are, there would be no opportunities left for you.
I believe that opportunity doesn't knock at the same door twice. So once it does, make sure you'll open it.
As what Wayne Gretzky said, "You'll miss 100% of the shots you don't take." So you need to to stop making excuses and be proactive to take that leap forward.
2. Face your fears
Remember my question earlier? It's really scary to move out of your comfort zone. But why are we scared? Because moving out of your comfort zone is conquering the great unknown. And what we don't know scares us. And that's when FEAR settles in.
Fear is a force that pulls as down to the depths of negativity. It's a monstrosity of our worst nightmares.
How do we conquer fear then? Simple: FACE IT!
You see, fear is a natural reaction. And how we respond to it matters the most. If you run away from it, you'll always be where you are. But if you face it, you'll be brave and you'll grow.
People think that you need to have the courage to face your fears. It's wrong. You need to face your fears to have the courage. This is where bravery arises.
How do we face our fears then? Do the things that scares you! We may not know the end results but it will impart lessons to be learned.
3. Take risks
Moving out of your comfort zone is also taking risk. This coincides with facing your fears. Give your best shot! Take that bet and never hold back. You might think that what you want to do is quite impossible, but still do it. Make the impossible possible! That's what taking risks is all about. And like what I always say. You'll never grow if you do not take risks."
4. It's okay to fail
Once you face your fears, once you take risks, it doesn't guarantee success in an instant. We may fail. And fail again. And again. And again. But don't let this hold us back!
It's okay to fail
The reason people are afraid to move out of their comfort zone is because they're afraid that they may fail.
Think about famous personalities like Steve Jobs, Morgan Freeman, JK Rowling, Bill gates and others. Do you think these people became successful at their comfort zones? No!
They've failed multiple time. these failures have brought them discomfort. But they keep on pushing harder. Why? Because they're not afraid to fail! They know that the road maybe bumpy, but they still pursue it. they never give up despite their failures and continue to strive. They use this discomfort to maximise their potential.
You see, moving out of your comfort zone also means trying and failing and trying all over again. It's all about handling failures. Failures are the lessons in life. This is where we learn. And from here, we know what we'll do next time.
So when we try and fail, never give up and get through it. When we learn how to handle failures, we learn anything else.
5. Believe in Yourself
This is where it all boils down.
The main reason people are afraid to move out of their comfort zone is because they do not have faith in themselves. Your comfort zone doesn't just mean it's the things that you are good at; it's also the things that you cannot do. Because you believe that you cannot go beyond your limits and unleash what's within you.
This is true as I've had a first-hand experience on this.
I do not believe on what I can do and the talents I had within me. I cared about people's judgement so much as well to the point that I shunned myself to the world I know and become comfortable with it.
But I know something is wrong...
I felt that nothing;s going on with my life. I'm moving forward but will end up on the same place. And I hate it.
So I changed my outlook in life. i started loving myself and believe on what I got. And here's what happened:
- When my brother asked me to join Toastmasters Club, I said yes. No excuses
- Whenever I speak in front in Toastmasters, I'm always scared. But I still pursue and face that fear.
- If I were to be honest, the fear of public speaking is still haunting me. But I am taking the risks because I want to improve.
- Lastly, I may not be conveying the right message as per speaking, but I do not worry. I am not afraid to fail as I know that I will learn from this.
So here's the moral: The first four advice would only be possible if first, you believe in that one-letter word: "I".
Just do what you want and don't give a damn as to what others will say.
BELIEVE. It's a powerful word.
These are the things I've learned when I conquered my comfort zone. I'm still learning, unlearning and relearning these things and might pick up new things along the way.
And I am more than happy to share my learning so far.
So now, let's all learn to conquer our comfort zone. Let's all MOVE OUT and MOVE UP.
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Note: This is one of my speeches in Toastmasters International. If you want to know more about the organisation, you can check it here: https://www.toastmasters.org/.
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