“Coming out of your comfort zone is tough in the beginning,
chaotic in the middle, and awesome in the end…
Because in the end, it shows you a whole new world!
Make an attempt.”
― From the Rat Race to Financial Freedom
Yesterday we had a farewell party for one of our close friends. She recalled how she was showered with love in a foreign land especially during her challenging times. She said, “When I’m sick, someone would just show up to show care. When I can’t take my parents out, someone would offer me help. When I need support, I knew it’s only a phone call away.” She felt sad about leaving behind a lovely family here and missing on the good things.
Along with that feeling of sadness, moving to a new place brought in apprehensions. Her family questioned her decision to move because everything seemed to be working just fine. Still, she made the decision to pursue a new opportunity and move from a comfortable living to an unknown area. She was courageous enough to cross the comfort zone. As a friend, I feel proud of her because she took that bold step of crossing the “fear door“. She was willing to see what awaits her on the other side–new possibilities, new opportunities, new experiences, new people – a whole new world!
Coming out of the comfort zone is not easy! It causes anxiety because you fear the unknown. It causes you to resist change because staying where you currently are feels more safe, more secure. But…
What if you take the courage to cross the “fear door” one step at a time?
What if you take the risk to explore new possibilities on the other side?
One of my clients had an opportunity for an interesting role outside her current function. She was afraid of taking on the responsibility because she feared she did not know enough. I challenged her to think beyond and come up with ideas as to why she would be the right candidate for the role. I actually challenged her to give me a hundred reasons! I encouraged her to look at the role with a fresh lens to see why the new role would be meaningful for her.
Suddenly she saw possibilities. Coming up with new ideas, she figured ways to learn the skills that were missing. Ideas are contagious. One idea led to another. Believe it or not, there were almost a hundred more ideas on the table when she stretched out her imagination! Because she eliminated fear, the gap did not seem as big as she first thought of it.
By burying the past, she was able to step into the future. She may not get the job yet but she already had taken the next step and built the momentum. As Ryan Holiday says in his book The Obstacle is the Way, “What stands in the way BECOMES the way.”
Innovative companies do the same. Ben & Jerry’s is known for outrageous, chunky ice cream flavors. They experiment with new ideas by constantly coming up with new flavors. They push their creative boundaries by replacing the not-so-performing ice creams to create something new. They celebrate the good that came with the old, bury them and have a funeral at Ben & Jerry’s Flavor Graveyard to make room for new ones. Ben & Jerry’s flavor Guru Eric Fredette says “Experimentation comes with risk, and not everybody likes our edgier ideas. Like everything else, ice cream flavors have a beginning and an end.”
Likewise, companies and we as entrepreneurs need to learn to bury the past–habits, behavior, relationships, products, strategies in order to make room for a fresh, new beginning.
What are you attached to? What can you do to bury the old for you to step into the future?
What is that tiny little step you can take to push your boundaries?
Comment down below!
Remember, the best is yet to come!
Until next…
Keep Smiling!
Archana
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