There’s nothing worse than living inside of your comfort zone. Yes it feels safe and comfortable when you’re in it (which is a big reason why most of us never leave our comfy little bubble) but it’s impossible to live a life of true happiness if you stick with what’s safe.
A fact I recently learned firsthand.
Last Thursday I flew to Austin, Texas to spend the weekend with a bunch of peers, all entrepreneurs, who own gyms that are pretty much at the same stage as my own. I always find comfort in being surrounded by people who share the same struggles as me. It’s easy for us to relate to one another, and we share frustrations and appreciate the exhaustions/failures that often come with owning your own business.
However, this type of situation can also give us permission to be comfortable with where we’re at in our life, career, and also our health.
Now I’m not saying that “comfort” is a bad thing, but it can be a dangerous place to live. It can give you permission to accept that what you have right now is good enough. It can dictate how you set your standards. And it can also very easily keep you inside of your comfort zone – which it usually does.
I’m not trying to downplay the fact that I had a fantastic trip and left Austin with a ton of actionable takeaways. But I did realize that in order for me to push myself to the level of success that I want to achieve, it’s essential for me to surround myself with people who motivate me to step outside of my comfort zone.
Last weekend taught me that the best way to be inspired to be better, is to witness success and immerse yourself in a community of people who have achieved it… while continuing to accomplish more. I also learned to put myself in situations that allow me to help and inspire others to achieve more than they believe is possible.
I’m in the middle of reading the book, Never Eat Alone by Keith Ferrazzi, and there’s a quote in that book that really resonates with me.
“People with a low tolerance to risk, whose behavior is guided through fear, have a low propensity for success.”
It’s not easy to put yourself in situations where you feel like you:
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- Are the least experienced
- Have inferior skill-set to everyone else
- Are the most nervous
- Have no clue what to say
- Feel completely insecure
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But once you realize that all of these things are just fears that will become less intimidating the more you put yourself in situations where you can overcome them, good things will happen.
Think about your first session at BIM or some other situation that took you outside of your comfort zone. Chances are you felt a little (or A LOT) nervous, weren’t too sure what to expect, and kind of had no idea what you were doing. Fast-forward to a few weeks later – the initial apprehension and awkwardness had dissipated, and you had learned to appreciate the different levels that everyone was at, including yourself.
Some people may still be working on building up the basic, while others have the experience to work at high levels with excellence. But no matter your level, one thing remains the same – an inherent commitment to improving and achieving more.
To me, this is an example of the perfect atmosphere to maintain just the right amount of comfort. The power of seeing someone succeed at something you want is irreplaceable—especially when you realized that you have put yourself in a situation where you’re allowing yourself to do the very same thing.
When you put yourself in environments or surround yourself with people that/who inspire you to be great, you experience potential. The potential of others, and the potential in yourself. You learn that everyone started from somewhere less than where they’re at right now, and you gain the motivation/inspiration you need to push yourself closer to your goals.
There is a common misconception that we have to achieve thing on our own. But, as I have learned, great accomplishments and opportunities never come from isolation. All it does is prove that we have an ego and are afraid to push ourselves to be more – which does serve us or move us any nearer to our TRUE potential.
Which brings me to what I hope you takeaway from reading this: Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and while it’s important to celebrate your wins, don’t let yourself become complacent with “it’s good enough.” Instead Go Beyond Better and then some. 😉
If you’re feeling stuck and need a push in the right direction, shoot me a message at andrea@balancemotion.com. I’d love to help you get closer to where you want to be. 🙂
Andrea
