Why You Should Leave Your Comfort

The comfort zone is one's safety net. It is a psychological state, which could prevent you from reaching your fullest potential. I sometimes wonder how many people spend their time in this place. And if they knew the benefits of leaving their comfort zone, would they live with such routine and security.

I would hope the answer is No.

I know firsthand about the overwhelming feelings that come from the thought of leaving your comfort zone. I know about the stress, self-doubts and the constant pressure one may feel. But, based off my experience, the knowledge gained and sense of accomplishment, definitely outweighs these negative feelings.

My moment of clarity

I remember when I got selected for my first deployment in 2009. I received a phone call from my Colonel's secretary to report to his office in 15 minutes to discuss a great career opportunity. I was nervous but excited because I didn't know what to expect. I arrived at his office, and in a stern voice he said, "Have a seat."

"Michael, I need a bright young officer to deploy and lead one of our finest aircraft maintenance units," he stated. I was shocked when I heard those words coming out of his mouth. Frankly, I thought he'd lost his mind. I was a Munitions Maintenance Officer. I'd never worked with aircraft and my knowledge about them was well-below average.

He said, "I have faith in you and your leadership ability. You will have 3 weeks to prepare because I need you in country by the end of the month. Do you want the job?"

This job was definitely out of my comfort zone. I was never trained to maintain aircraft. I didn't even know how an Aircraft Maintenance Unit operated. I had a lot of negative thoughts running through my mind for the brief 30 seconds that I pondered over this opportunity. What if I fail? What if I couldn't learn the system? But as a young and adventurous leader, I nervously accepted the deployment, knowing this would be the most challenging duty I had ever faced in my career.

On that day, I made a decision to leave my comfort zone and accept a new challenge. I could've declined and went back to my office doing the same daily routine. But, I knew I couldn't reach my fullest potential as a leader being terrified of challenges. I wanted to grow and most of all, I wanted to be successful.

If I hadn't taken the job, I would've missed this amazing life lesson. I learned a lot about myself as a person. I also got exposed to a different side of my career field, which created other job opportunities when I returned home. And even though I was the "leader" of this unit, I considered myself a student too because my team taught me so much about teamwork and hard work, which ultimately shaped me into the leader I am today. Absolutely, that was the best job in my military career.

Why should you leave your comfort zone?

One's comfort zone can hinder growth and suffocate your potential. It's important for a leader to never be bonded by their insecurities or fears. Below are three (3) outstanding reasons why you should face your fear, take a leap of faith and step out.

1) To maximize your perform and reach your peak. Staying in your comfort zone will lead to complacency, arrogance and staggered growth. If you want to maximize your growth potential and get the most out of your career, "challenge yourself." Become a seeker for new adventures and gain knowledge from your experience. Until then, you will never reach your maximize potential and true success will always be at your fingertips.

2) To make you smarter and increase your confidence. The key to success is to never stop learning. A great benefit of leaving your comfort zone is that you will be forced to learn a new skill or a different area within your company. This will make you more valuable to your company and even more marketable for future jobs.

It's important that you continue to grow and stay knowledgeable in all areas of your business. This knowledge will birth confidence. And confidence is needed to lead your organization and when making critical decisions that may impact others or your company.

3) To cope with uncertainties. Life is filled with uncertainties. The key to living a healthy and stress free life is learning to manage your emotions. Operating outside your comfort zone can help you manage stress and cope with unexpected changes that life may throw at you. Take a risk. Step away from the norm and experience some of that uncertainty in a control environment. Like the old saying, "What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger."

You will come across different opportunities where you can leave your comfort zone. Maybe you could volunteer to lead a new project at work. Maybe you could sign up for Communications class to help overcome your fear of public speaking. If you have an opportunity to leave your comfort zone, do it! Don't let the fear of failure alter your perspective of growth. Instead, let this challenge be your motivation to succeed and exceeding expectations. It may be tough at first but you will become a better leader at the end. As stated by John Maxwell, "If we're growing, we're always going to be out of our comfort zone."

Questions

Are you ready to leave your comfort zone and embrace new challenges? What areas are you looking to improve? Please leave your comment below or on my Facebook or Twitter page.

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