Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

  The Oxford English Dictionary defines comfort as “A state of physical ease and freedom from pain or constraint.”  When you go along in life and stay within the lines, always on the safe side of the street, not taking risks and staying under the radar, you think you are comfortable. You don’t ruffle feathers, you don’t cause problems, you avoid drama… Ha! I’m throwing the B.S. flag!

That is not the life I want to live. I’m not saying that I always want to ruffle feathers and be that obnoxious guy no one wants around, far from it.  I do want to be the person that takes the risks, that lives in that uncomfortable zone because that is where I grow.  When I take life by the horns, experience new things, have new adventures, and dream big; that is where I grow.  As I get older my dreams get bigger, my world expands, and I find myself living the life I desire. 

Comfort is a place where boredom sets in.  I define comfort as eating dinners in front of the television night after night with nothing worthwhile to say to my wife while my kids are glued to their iPad or iPhone because our life is BORING! Comfort is where I think those people live that are afraid of going for the big promotion or new job because they live in fear that they aren’t good enough. 

 Good enough. Ha!  I don’t subscribe to that philosophy.  We are all good enough.  In fact, we are better than good enough.  Good enough is not an option with me.  Did I always think this way? No.  I lived in comfort until one day a mentor pushed me.  I didn’t know he was my mentor at the time. He was just my friend and he pushed me to dream bigger dreams. He pushed me to want more out of life. To go after the big fish. 

I have physical and psychological ease because I am reaching for the stars and I am going to do whatever it takes to get there!  My mentor pushed me and changed my thinking – he said – even though you don’t believe it now, trust in my belief in you. That was motivation enough for me – I trusted in his belief that I could and did my life change.  My mentor got me out from in front of that television and off the couch to living life!  And the best part is now I am mentoring others to achieve their dreams.  Comfort is not my goal – I’ll take uncomfortable any day!

Looking to get out of your comfort zone?  Do you need a push to change your limiting beliefs?  Could you use a mentor to push you?  Stay tuned, I’m putting the finishing touches on a program that you might be interested in. The Leader Armor Mentoring Program (L.A.M.P.) is coming soon.  Until next week remember, soft skills lead to hard results!