Not comfortable outside your comfort zone?
If you are never comfortable pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone or if the sheer concept of leaving it upsets you, there’s a mind hack just for you.
You’re likely living within your comfort zone because you’re scared of encountering the nastiest word around. Granted, the word “No” does you no good, especially if you’re force-feeding it to yourself before anyone else has a chance to say it to you by pre-judging their response. When you’re afraid of hearing “No” from others but then set goals in order to live life in harmony with your WHY, you have no choice but to push yourself outside that comfort zone and face possible rejection. Nothing changes in your life if you don’t.
So how to hack your mind to get out of your own way?
Statistically speaking, fewer people would reject you than you’d even imagine. In fact, studies have shown that large numbers of people will say yes to practically anything as long as the proposal is pitched a particular way. In a study by Harvard social psychologist Ellen Langer, 60% of people approached said yes to a request; successful results increased to 93% when a reason accompanied the request that justified the action sought, especially if it provided new information. Years later Valerie S. Folkes of the University of California engaged in a study that was a partial replication and partial extension of Langer’s work.
What’s this mean to you?
Keep in mind that, at worst, if you approached someone on a goal-related matter that would further your WHY and you took the time to justify the action sought from the other individual and, furthermore, provided them with new information and/or a win-win benefit to the other individual, you’re more likely than not going to get a “yes” as opposed to a “no.”
Proof therefore exists that you can push your comfort zone in order to accomplish really anything because there’s a likelihood of success, every time you make an attempt, if you cover your bases.
Many times you’ll surprise yourself with what you can achieve by pushing your limits. Sometimes you’ll be successful by the skin of your teeth. Who cares? Progress is progress. Your WHY won’t likely be achieved in a day…or a weekend…or a month. But it’s worth the effort you’ll have to undertake, which involves pushing that comfort zone of yours.
We know by now that your subconscious mind will set you up for self-sabotage to keep you within the safety of your toddler-esque playpen of your comfort zone. But you’re a big girl now, so it’s time to stop crawling and learn to walk. What’s the best ways in wish to start pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone, now that you know it’s very likely worth the effort, no matter how great or small the results will be each time?
First, know that the worst thing you can do is fail—but odds are you won’t. You may just get underwhelming results. Be willing to learn from your failure and try better the next time around. Honestly, while attempting to create the light bulb, Thomas Edison quipped, “I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” Make distinctions and keep moving forward. Take risks—just make sure they’re calculated ones; this way the risk of failure is decreased and the damage from any resulting failure is best contained. Keep pushing until it feels like second nature.
Want to push your comfort zone some more? Try the book, The Magic of Thinking Big by David J. Schwartz, Ph.D., available on Amazon.
