Break Out Of Your Comfort Zone

It’s easy to get stuck in a routine. There’s nothing wrong with forming habits, like eating the same thing for lunch each day or always ordering the same iced caramel mocha at your favorite coffee shop. But as an entrepreneur you should recognize the dangers of playing it safe. Remaining stuck in your business comfort zone could actually be inhibiting your success.

Being open to new experiences leads to an increase in both creativity and resilience, two traits that are necessary for any successful entrepreneur. Innovation is not something that can grow inside of your comfort zone, after all. Only by stepping outside of your comfort zone and tackling new challenges can you ever hope to innovate and grow your business. Of course, this is easier said than done. However, there are some steps you can take to become more comfortable with stepping outside of your comfort zone.

• Do it a lot. If you step outside of your comfort zone just once and then immediately retreat back into your old familiar routine for good, this won’t help you or your business. Instead, you must repeatedly venture outside of your comfort zone.

• Take baby steps. There’s no need to overhaul your entire routine. Instead, start small. Even something as seemingly meaningless as rearranging your office can have a big impact on your outlook. Consider these steps a sort of practice in venturing outside your comfort zone.

• Reconceptualize your fear. When you reinterpret fear as excitement or opportunity, your entire outlook will begin to change. Replace fear with anticipation and you will even begin to look forward to those new challenges.

• Seek out new challenges. Looking for new ways to challenge yourself can be invigorating. These feelings will encourage you to seek out challenges more often.

• Give yourself a reason. By putting into words the reason you are stepping outside of your comfort zone, you will give yourself a sort of mantra or affirmation that may serve to banish your fear.