To grow we have to get out of our comfort zone! If you ever had a performance review conversation, you probably have heard it declared by your manager. This sentence is rarely welcomed with a round applause. It usually means that changes will follow, the type we don’t like enforced on us.
I ask myself: why do we have to get out of our comfort zone? It is so cozy in there, otherwise it wouldn’t be called “comfort” …
The comfort zone is a psychological state in which everything is familiar, we feel in control and our anxiety and stress levels are reduced to minimum.
On the contrary, when we get out of the comfort zone, our anxiety and stress levels increase, and we feel the need to protect ourselves from the uncertain future ahead.
Why is this happening? As human beings we are wired to perceive changes as threats to our well-being. Our brain is very busy – even when we are asleep – and it tries to keep us safe and away from dangers by consolidating habits and routines. These allow our brain to work on automatic pilot.
Or very simply said: our brain loves to be in the comfort zone!
Unfortunately, our brain is not able to distinguish between good and bad habits; it’s good enough not to have to do the extra work required in new situations.
But, if we stay in our comfort zone and keep bad habits, we diminish our adaptability, stress tolerance and our overall performance.
Train your brain to get out of the comfort zone. You can begin with simple steps:
- Change the work/home itinerary
- Read a book on a topic you normally wouldn’t pick
- Start a conversation with a colleague you seldom interact with
- Choose one situation, among those that scare you, and decide to try a different approach (i.e. presenting to large audiences)
- Ask to manage a project for which you don’t have all the competencies
These actions are simple enough, yet they trigger your brain to be more resilient and adaptable to change.
Don’t wait, start today and challenge your brain to get out of the comfort zone!