First a quote: “Life begins at the edge of your comfort zone.” – Neale Donald Walsch
As humans, most of us tend to be creatures of habit and routine, e.g., we take the same route to work each day; we tend to sit in the same chair in weekly staff meetings; we utilize daily rituals and routines from the coffee we drink to beginning each day immersed in our devices or responding to emails. We even tend to spend our “free time” doing the same things we’ve always done.
While it may be more comfortable doing the same thing, in the same way, over and over again, that approach tends to limit our life experiences and how much we learn, grow, and live life to the fullest. Perhaps you’re living in a “comfort zone prison” of your own making.
Click here to read: How Much Experience Do You Really Have?
If you reflect on your life, and your significant learning events, I predict most happened outside your comfort zone. Think about the first time you successfully rode a bicycle, began a new job, mastered a new skill, learned to ski, or the first time you gave a speech in front of a large group of people; I suspect your list of “uncomfortable lessons learned” is almost endless.
I submit our most powerful, and sometimes most important learning experiences, happened beyond the edges of our comfort zones, in what I call our “learning zone.” (See diagram below.) Almost by definition, learning zones tend to be uncomfortable by their very nature.
“Most everything you want is just outside your comfort zone.” – Jack Canfield
When considering how adults tend to learn most effectively, research suggests most workshop participants don’t learn much, or at least retain very little, from lengthy lectures and PowerPoint presentations. (Believe me when I say, “I have both delivered, and endured, my own share of ‘death by PowerPoint’ presentations.” 😊)
As a facilitator of workshops featuring “adult-friendly approaches to learning,” my experience suggests the use of “experiential learning activities and simulations” tend to nudge participants out of their comfort zones and into their learning zones.
The problem for workshop facilitators like myself is every participant has a unique learning style, and most have “comfort and learning zones” of varying sizes. Striking a balance that works for all can be a challenge in group learning situations.
For example, some participants raise their hand frequently, almost incessantly, to offer their ideas and contributions to class discussions. And at the same time, others might not say a single word in an 8-hour class if left to their own discretion. Each of us learns differently. The size of our individual comfort and learning zones are all unique in size and shape.
While nudging people out of their comfort zones is important, I have also learned most adults don’t learn well if forced beyond their learning zone and into their “terror zone” either. (See illustration above.)
We all know what it feels like to be in our own private terror zone. (I still remember being called to the chalkboard in my high school algebra class to demonstrate an algebraic solution in front of my classmates. Talk about being in my “Terror Zone,” the only thing I learned from that intimidating process was that I disliked learning about algebra, at least in that fashion.)
So, the trick becomes prodding people out of their “comfort zones” while at the same time, not forcing them into their “terror zones.” Isn’t this phenomenon true in all of life, not just in workshops?
My question for your consideration today is: “Where, or how, are your “comfort zones” limiting your learning, growth, or ability to live life to the fullest?”
Perhaps as 2022 draws to a close, now is the time to consider stepping outside your comfort zones more in 2023. What that looks like is different for all of us.
Here is a short list of ideas: (Please feel welcome to share your ideas on this topic.)
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Bored in your current job? Consider volunteering for a special project or assignment. Ask for a lateral transfer or a job shadowing opportunity to learn new skills. Start a “lunch & learn” initiative led by volunteers.
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Try a new recipe for dinner this weekend or go to a different restaurant featuring an international cuisine. Or go to your favorite restaurant but order something you haven’t tried before.
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Lonely or bored in your personal life? Sign up for a class. Teach a class. Join a club. Start a club. Do you like to read? Perhaps start a book club in your building or neighborhood.
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Looking for a larger circle of friends or expanding your professional network? Join Toast Masters or sign up for an adult learning series at your local university. Pick a topic you know nothing about yet seems interesting.
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Is there a hobby or idea you have procrastinated or resisted because of a fear of failure? Now may be the time to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try.
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What ideas do you have? What ideas can you share with others?
Other related articles:
Are you willing to share your ideas on this topic with other readers? What are your thoughts on this topic? In what ways do you stretch your comfort zones?
How will you live, love, or lead, differently, or better, this coming week?
Remember to take time to relax and reflect this holiday season.
Sincerely,
Bryan Yager
“Expanding Your Capacity for Success”
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- This article was first published on December 8, 2019. It has been revised and updated here.
Bonus Quotes:
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“Too many of us are not living our dreams because we are living our fear.” – Les Brown
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“Of all the liars in the world, sometimes the worst are our own fears.” – Rudyard Kipling
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“Get comfortable with being uncomfortable!” – Jillian Michaels
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“Are we prepared to leave our comfort zones to reach a better place?” – Carlos A. Godoy
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“Fear is only as deep as the mind allows.” – Japanese Proverb
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“All growth starts at the end of your comfort zone.” – Tony Robbins
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“Everything we want is outside of our comfort zone and on the other side of fear.” – Sivaprakash Sidhu
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“Do one thing every day that scares you.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
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“Before anything great is really achieved, your comfort zone must be disturbed.” – Ray Lewis
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“The only thing that is stopping you from where you are to where you want to go is your comfort zone.” – Dhaval Gaudier
