Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone

I go to the gym every day, most days I do not want to, I would prefer to put it off, do it later or just not go at all. Surprisingly once I have gone, I feel enlivened and so empowered to continue with my day. When I leave the gym, there are numerous famous quotes on the walls to continue the motivation. The other day, there was one that struck a nerve, and the one which prompted this article, it was by Eleanor Roosevelt, she was quoted saying; “Do something every day that makes you uncomfortable.” Getting out of a comfortable bed, is makes me uncomfortable.

It is important to keep in mind that there are so many lessons and messages that can be extrapolated from this quote, and if applied, the lessons can have lasting positive effects on your business and personal life.

It is imperative you be open to the possibilities of the positive effect of just doing something and letting go of the fears that keep you from becoming remarkable. I have seen amazing people stifle their growth because they just do not take that first step.  Think about those in history that have failed over-and- over again, but win drive and persistence they have created amazing results:

Thomas Edison had over seventeen-hundred failures while creating the light bulb. When interviewed by a reporter after his successful development, the reporter said, ‘so Mr. Edison, how does it feel to have failed over seventeen-hundred times in creating a light bulb.” His response was brilliant, Edison was reported saying in response to the reporter, ‘why no, I just ‘discovered’ seventeen-hundred ways how not make a light bulb.’ (It is all about perspective)

Michael Jordan, (I believe) the undisputable greatest basketball player ever once stated: “I fail every day of my life…and that’s what makes me great.”

What do these people have in common? It is their commitment to failure, knowing that each time they fail; they become one step closer to success? Think about what Seth Godin said in a past blog post: "If You Don't Start, You Can't Fail" - It sounds ridiculous when you say it that way. But of course, it is ridiculous. It is (quite possibly) the reason you are stalling. On the other hand, there is no doubt that, "If you don't start, you will fail." Not starting and failing, lead to precisely the same outcome, with different names. BRILLIANT!

To me this was very telling. It reminds me of a conversation I had about eight years ago. I ran into a gentleman, we struck up a conversation regarding general business issues and the “getting started” topic arose. I should mention that at the same time in my life I had come off a very sour personal relationship which had severely jaded me tremendously. As we continued the conversation, my friend said something remarkably interesting…” often times we need to run towards the thing that we fear the most…” Those words resonated with me. Feared being stung again in a personal relationship! That month I met the women I am married this month eight years ago I listened to the words of my friend and decided to open my mind to ALL the possibilities with an outcome that I am so happy about.

Same thing holds true in business; if we do marketing that fails do you give up? Do you stop, look at what you could have done better, where you may have failed? Perhaps there were some adjustments you could have made where you can improve? Are you vacillating on doing your marketing plan, or cold calling a client or picking up the phone to manage a very delicate problem? Have you reviewed your client database and decided to review and reactivate the clients you let slip away? This is where self-accountability is so important; and most people are just not willing to look inward…because it is easier, safer to not start. I believe it is important to begin to start becoming comfortable with being uncomfortable.

I encourage you to take a hard look at why your business may be stalling or not moving forward at the rate you would like. Is it you, are your just comfortable with the status quo? You must be prepared to fail, and that will only happen if you are willing to take risks. I also encourage you to be open to all the positive things that will come from just getting started. Start by identifying that there are challenges; write them down, that is commitment! Then prioritize the issues and hold yourself accountable. Put the fear behind you and run toward the things that frighten you with great determination and the outcome will be amazing. Do something remarkable today!

Until next time, as always, continued good selling, and to getting out of your comfort zone – that’s where life begins! - CQ