As human beings, most of us crave stability, the habits of the everyday. There’s a good evolutionary reason for this: For millions of years, unpredictability and uncertainty were tantamount to danger. There are plenty of benefits to having a routine — it lowers our stress levels and is a building block of good health. The “comfort zone” exists for a reason: to keep us comfortable.
Still, there is such a thing as getting too comfortable. While we may feel safer in a routine, a fear of the unknown can also cause us to live life on autopilot. Too much stability has been scientifically linked to a lack of growth or learning in our lives. As the old adage goes: “Old ways won’t open new doors.” Staying in your comfort zone can restrict you, cutting you off from new experiences or from taking a leap toward what you really want.
Maybe you’re aware it’s time to step out of your comfort zone, but you don’t know quite where to start — old habits die hard, after all. These 10 quotes can help give you that gentle nudge out the proverbial door — and into exciting new territory.
"Go and make interesting mistakes, make amazing mistakes, make glorious and fantastic mistakes. Break rules. Leave the world more interesting for your being here."
~Neil Gaiman
"Without experimentation, a willingness to ask questions and try new things, we shall surely become static, repetitive, and moribund."
~Anthony Bourdain
"Sometimes the bravest and most important thing you can do is just show up."
~Brené Brown
"If you want to conquer fear, do not sit home and think about it. Go out and get busy."
~Dale Carnegie
"[People] make their best work when they’re riding that wave and a little bit uncomfortable. Sell your own myth, but never buy it."
~St. Vincent
"When I let go of what I am, I become what I might be."
~Lao Tzu
"Great people do things before they’re ready."
~Amy Poehler
"Don’t fear failure so much that you refuse to try new things. The saddest summary of a life contains three descriptions: could have, might have, and should have."
~Louis E. Boone
"And the thing about blooming is, nothing about the process is easy. It requires every part of you to stretch upward, with your roots firmly planted in the ground; and in the sun, and in the rain, and wind, you stand anyway, even against the pull of the soil. And through it all, one day you will see all along you were transforming."
~Morgan Harper Nichols
"A bird is safe in its nest — but that is not what its wings are made for.
~Amit Ray
"Comfort can be dangerous. Comfort provides a floor but also a ceiling."
~Trevor Noah
"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."
~Maya Angelou
Paraphrasing Yoda, trying doesn’t count; it’s doing what matters. Do the same things differently. Do things that scare you. Do things that you love but stopped doing them. Do something for the first time. Do something everyone is telling you shouldn’t do.
I invite you to initiate an comfort zone stretching exercise using the quotes by:
1) Emailing this post to your team.
2) Asking team members to select a quote that resonates the most. (Alternative: team members find a quote they like related to beating the odds that's not listed in this post.)
3) Sharing what the quote means to them during a team meeting.
Keeping motivated at work doesn't happen automatically. It requires deliberate practice and reinforcement.
To your greater success and fulfillment,
Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT
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