As an entrepreneur how often do you push yourself to step outside your comfort zone? If you are like the majority of business owners then your focus is probably on getting the job done. While every business owner needs to do that it’s also vital to take on challenges you might be tempted to avoid if you want your business to be successful. You may not want to be the next Richard Branson, Donald Trump or Oprah Winfrey. Your goal may be to earn enough to keep you comfortable and to ensure you have lots of free time to follow other pursuits or you may just want to be the next global entrepreneur. Either way, if you want to be successful then you are going to have to get comfortable with being uncomfortable. Why? Because it’s really easy to do the same things day in and day out but when you do that the sense of adventure and excitement begins to seep away and what grows in its place is safety, comfort and predictability. In other words, the kiss of death for a thriving business. So if you want to start pushing the boundaries and start to stretch those limits a little then consider the following steps.
Get comfortable with being uncomfortable by doing things you don’t normally do. Once a week do something different like indoor rock climbing, a bungee jump, attend a dance class, a cookery class or a talk. It doesn’t have to include danger and heights but it’s the act of mixing with new people and making the effort to communicate, trying your hand at something like cooking a meal – not particularly dangerous one would hope. The more you do different things the more you will become accustomed to throwing yourself into new challenges and having a go.
Start taking smart risks. A smart risk is one you have researched and with regard to which you’ve weighed up the pros and cons before making an informed decision. If the risk doesn’t work out for any reason your business will be able to sustain the loss and if it does work out the business will ultimately benefit from increased clients, revenue and brand awareness.
Become curious, it will open you up to new experiences, as Danielle LaPorte says ‘An open mind innovates’. As business owners we can tend to create divisions in our world and barriers between us and other things/people. Curiosity opens us up and we become more engaged and enthusiastic and when that happens the vagueness disappears.
Think positively and have faith that what you are doing is going to provide you with a new and exhilarating learning experience. Push away any negative thoughts and allow yourself to be in the moment.
What strategies have helped you break out of your comfort zone? Tell us in the comments below.
