Good Tuesday morning everyone. Yesterday we discussed why it was so dang hard to step out of our comfort zone. Today I want to dig a little deeper and see what we get when we break free and try new things.
Remember optimal anxiety is that place where your mental productivity and performance reach their peak. Still, “increased performance” and “enhanced productivity” just sounds like “do more stuff.”
So just what do you really get when you’re willing to step outside of your comfort zone?
1. You’ll be more productive. Comfort kills productivity because without the sense of unease that comes from having deadlines and expectations, we tend to phone it in and do the minimum required to get by. We lose the drive and ambition to do more and learn new things. We also fall into the “work trap,” where we feign “busy” as a way to stay in our comfort zones and avoid doing new things. Pushing your personal boundaries can help you hit your stride sooner, get more done, and find smarter ways to work.
2. You’ll have an easier time dealing with new and unexpected changes. In this article at The New York Times, Brené Brown, a research professor at the University of Houston, explains that one of the worst things we can do is pretend fear and uncertainty don’t exist. By taking risks in a controlled fashion and challenging yourself to things you normally wouldn’t do, you can experience some of that uncertainty in a controlled, manageable environment. Learning to live outside your comfort zone when you choose to can prep you for life changes that force you out of it.
3. You’ll find it easier to push your boundaries in the future. Once you start stepping out of your comfort zone, it gets easier over time. This same NYT article explains that as you step out of your comfort zone, you’ll become accustomed to that state of optimal anxiety. “Productive discomfort,” as they call it, becomes more normal to you, and you’re willing to push farther before your performance falls off. You’ll see that as you challenge yourself, your comfort zone adjusts so what was difficult and anxiety-inducing becomes easier as you repeat it.
4. You’ll find it easier to brainstorm and harness your creativity. This is a soft benefit, but it’s fairly common knowledge (and it’s easily reproducible) that seeking new experiences, learning new skills, and opening the door to new ideas inspire us and educate us in a way that little else does. Like me doing these daily motivations, at first it wasn’t easy, it was something I couldn’t do very quickly. Now I’m not saying it’s an easy process but it is quicker for me to write them and hopefully articulate what I want to express. Trying new things can make us reflect on our old ideas and where they clash with our new knowledge, and inspire us to learn more and challenge confirmation bias, our tendency to only seek out information we already agree with. Even in the short term, a positively uncomfortable experience can help us brainstorm, see old problems in a new light, and tackle the challenges we face with new energy.
The benefits you get after stepping outside of your comfort zone can linger. There’s the overall self-improvement you get through the skills you’re learning, the new pitch you’re trying, the new product your selling and the new people you try to impress. There are also the many soft mental benefits you get from broadening your horizons. I’m living proof of this. One last tip is to surround yourself with friends that will genuinely help and encourage you to step out and break free to try new things.
Tomorrow we will discuss Part 3
Four Steps on How to Break out of your Comfort Zone.
You won’t want to miss it!
For more information about joining Payment Lynx and growing your portfolio or to discuss keeping momentum going in July please feel free to contact me at DMatney@PaymentLynx.com or 833-729-5969 ext. 2 to discuss partnering with Payment Lynx.
Happy Selling,
David
“You are your greatest asset. Put your time, effort and money into training, grooming, and encouraging your greatest asset”
Tom Hopkins
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