Being risk-averse. Avoiding mistakes. Having a fear of failure.
All of the above seem to feed that same place that causes people to retreat to their comfort zones. By staying in that safe, warm spot, there’s nothing happening with the career path. That is a problem whether you are looking to change careers, get a promotion, or even stay current in your existing role.
The reality is: guarding against making mistakes may seem like the safe path, but it carries its own risks. By sticking only with what you know, you not only miss out on opportunities, but you ultimately will fall further and further behind as the ever-changing world moves forward.
Pushing the boundaries of your comfort zone doesn’t always entail taking huge gambles, like starting your own business or taking on a large project at work. Sometimes it’s as simple as learning a new skill that can put you on the cutting edge of your field.
I had a recent conversation with a friend in photography, and she was very excited about a new technique she tried out with her work. “Melissa,” she said, “you wouldn’t believe how well it worked! It’s taking my photography to a whole new level.”
Was it a risk? Certainly, it was — she was experimenting with a new technique with clients whom she never had shot before. It could have been a disaster, which would have been frustrating and could have affected the entire shoot for her. But she knew how it was supposed to work, she took the chance, and the results were amazing!
What about you? Are you trying new things to be where you want to be in your career, or are you letting your comfort zone limit you? What’s feeding those choices?
Image courtesy of epSos.de
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Twitter: joe_sewell
says:
First time reader, courtesy of a multi-layered retweet.
Just have to say that risk-taking and getting out of one’s comfort zone is not the cure-all people want it to be. You touch on this in your post, but I feel it needs to be said more loudly & plainly.
Sometimes your “comfort zone” exists to tell you that you’re where you need to be, and getting out of it isn’t some great adventure to success, but moving into a minefield for which you’re not prepared or built. Risk-taking for the sake of taking risks can work, and it can also torch any progress towards “success” (however you wish to define that) you’ve made.
Twitter: TheJobQuest
says:
Thanks for visiting and commenting, Joe!
That is an interesting perspective on the purpose of the comfort zone — to keep us from self-destructing. Kind of like the “gut instinct” that tells us when to shy away from a specific course of action.
When it comes down to it, any action or inaction we choose to do carries risk. People don’t often consider that staying the course is a choice that also carries risk because the known tends to feel safe. In some ways, that can be more dangerous, especially if it turns out to be a false sense of security.