Get Comfortable with Discomfort!
Let us first begin by defining comfort zone. As per Wikipedia “A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and (perceive they are) in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress.” Bardwick defines the term as "a behavioral state where a person operates in an anxiety-neutral position." Note it’s a psychological state. Which basically means that (1) It can be changed (2) it’s not permanent and (3) it can be expanded or reset.
Research has proven that we all need a healthy level of anxiety to learn and peak our performance. This threshold called “Optimal Anxiety” is where we are comfortable with the discomfort and we can work for results that we envisage. Our comfort zone is anxiety neutral, and hence it is a no learning zone. The discomfort of stepping out of the comfort zone is the first step we can take to be a better person, to learn, to grow and to evolve to the next level.
A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step” ~ Laozi (Lao Tzu)
So how can we take that formidable first step. How do we break the pattern and make ourselves uncomfortable?
My analysis of the problem and learning from seeing and meeting powerful people who have been able to do it, helped me identify a few steps we can take.
My analysis of the problem and learning from seeing and meeting powerful people who have been able to do it, helped me identify a few steps we can take.
1) Start Believing
Before everything else, define your impossible dream or a specific outcome that needs you to come out of your current comfort zone. Believe it in, attach a strong purpose to it. Find a compelling reason to move out of your comfort zone. Every effort driven by a strong purpose makes the journey worth it. Once you strongly believe in your outcome, visualize it. Don’t see to believe, believe and you shall see it.
1) Start Slow
Never rush. Prepare yourself mentally first. Talk to yourself. Reaffirm your self-belief, work on yourself. If there is one thing that all of us need to invest time on, it’s our own being. In knowing ourselves, in identifying what drives us, what limits us and what defines us. So, take your time. The more time you spend with yourself, the more you will know, and the stronger you will get. If the question at hand is about a task you have never done (like writing a book) or picking up a new career or moving to a new town, seek information about it. Meet people who have done it before or who are doing it. Research; look for information that can bring your fear thresholds down. Gather all the data you can, and then let your brain work through it. The brain loves to find a way to make it happen. Facilitate it by feeding it positive data.
1) Start Small
Do small things differently. Take small steps that break your pattern, get familiar with the unfamiliar. A couple of years ago, I used to drive to work every day. One fine day I decided to try a different routes to get to work. It helped me know the city more, see new places and added just that little bit of freshness to an otherwise mundane drive. And within a few weeks, my awareness of the city and its landmarks increased. My fear of getting lost in a new city was gone. there are many small changes we can do to get accustomed to change. Try a new kind of music for a change. Visit your favorite restaurant and try that dish you never tried before. If you exercise every day, add a different routine, pick up yoga or Pilates for change. Do something that you have not done before, even if it’s the smallest and most subtle thing.
1) Make Change a Habit
Habits define us in more ways than we would like to admit. And habits can be developed and maintained; and used constructively. The brain like every other muscle needs to be challenged, needs to be made to work. Spoon feeding it with ease and security will never let you tap into the power it holds.
Spoon feeding, in the long run, teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.” ~ E. M Foster.
Challenge your mind to new things as a habit. Only then will ‘productive discomfort’ be your new normal, your new operating zone.
1) Don’t Over Do It
Remember, you want to get out of your comfort zone and into a high performing zone. You do not want to get into the zone of “Adrenaline Rush”. You will still need your comfort zone to rejuvenate and replenish. One should never do away with one’s comfort zone. Instead remember when to get back and rest before the next round. Continuous traction with the new and the unfamiliar can lead to something that psychologist’s call “hedonistic adaptation”. It’s a phenomenon where the initial 'wow' reaction to incredible things wears out and is replaced with a feeling of the usual or the stable level of happiness and performance.
1) Have a Little Faith
Lastly, and most importantly, have a little faith in yourself. If you fail at the first attempt, remember there is no failure; only feedback and results. Once you accept each situation as a result, you will naturally work to change your approach for another result. Ask yourself the right questions. And answer the questions with a positive affirmation of your strength and your potential. Remember what you have achieved that you always thought was impossible or difficult. You didn’t reach where you are without the grit and passion and hard work that it needs. You have it in you to take that plunge; so, don’t beat yourself if you haven’t been able to do it yet. Tell yourself, “I can do this too!” Ask yourself what you will miss if you don’t that the plunge now. Does it make you hungry? Do you fear the results of non-achievement? Let the fear fuel you.
After all, Life begins at the end of your comfort zone ~ Neale Donald Walsch
