It’s a classic case of the comfort of the known vs. the fear of the unknown and no prizes for guessing what wins the battle hands down.
It is obviously the former which makes us prefer to stay in the same house/area, take the same route to work and do the job in the same way every day.
Who knows - what type of people will be there in a new locality?
How much more traffic will we encounter on the new route ? What if we fail when trying new things on the job?
It is this same sense of security that keeps us from leaving an unsatisfactory job and makes us fall into a rut.
‘Dangerous’ zone
At work it may often happen that you slip into a comfortable routine of doing the same old things in the way that you have always done them. Obviously, there are no risks or threats amidst the soothing familiarity of known people, places, actions, habits and work styles. You are always in control, know what is going to happen next and can even do your work with your eyes closed.
Things cannot continue like this indefinitely. Over time, the mundane chores can trap you into taking your work for granted. Not only is there no scope for career growth, but you will also tend to slack off and performance will slowly decline.
As one writer points out, “Even the most successful habits eventually lose their usefulness as events change the world and fresh responses are called for. Yet we cling on to them long after their benefit has gone. Past strategies are bound to fail sometime. Letting them become automatic habits that take the controls is a sure road to self-inflicted harm.”The boredom and drone of the daily grind is a warning sign that your career has plateaued and that you are becoming habituated to a self-satisfied complacency.
Still surprisingly, you may become so entrenched in the supposedly warm feeling of familiarity that you not only like being in the ‘comfort zone’, you actually crave it!
Breaking out
The only way to achieve your life’s goals, success and ‘real’ satisfaction is to regularly step out of the comfort zone. But, by now the mental conditioning of security may be so ingrained that you panic at the very thought of change.
So, you have to first convince yourself that though the challenge of getting out of your comfort zone is quite forbidding, it can and should be done. It requires great courage and determination to regularly push against the boundaries of familiarity. All it boils down to is a conscious decision to leave and stay out of your comfort zone.
Here are a few tips on the same:
• Build a proactive and open-minded attitude.
• Never ever shy away from change or doing things differently.
• Always look to experiment with new work.
• Try to learn new things, pursue new opportunities and explore uncharted paths.
• Seek out new and creative ideas that will stimulate your interest.
• Be willing to take risks.
• Set new goals that will expand your potential
• Slowly, work yourself towards letting go of ‘tried and tested’ habits and welcoming new responses.
It is possible that as you attempt to venture out of your comfort zone, you will feel quite anxious and helpless. It is true that you are bound to make mistakes and even fail occasionally. But, do not let this abounding fear make you go back into the comfort zone.
Roll up your sleeves and force yourself to let go off your need for security. Strive to take unfamiliar circumstances and behaviours in your stride. As you slowly succeed in facing the anxiety and discomfort head on, you will start feeling empowered, energised and powerful.
This will rekindle the fire in the job and make you feel passionate about your work all over again. So, forge ahead and out of your comfort zone, as there is always room for growth. And, if not, then maybe its time to find a new job, my friend!
To sum up in the words of Bob Parson, America’s celebrated entrepreneur, “The important thing to remember here is that if you are going to accomplish anything of any significance, you absolutely have to take a chance. That means that you have got to get out of your comfort zone!”
PAYAL CHANANIA
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