Why You Should Get Out of Your Comfort Zone.

"Safety first"! That's a warning/advice we hear frequently...maybe even daily. And that's good advice. We always have to put safety first.

It starts in our place of residence. Using appliances, tools, or anything we use in day-to-day living.

Then, as soon as we leave our homes, we need to think about safety when we get in our vehicles to go out on public roads. We need to think about places we visit and what we expose our children to. Always safety first.

When we look at our finances...again...safety first. A good place to start is by having a budget and sticking to it. Having a savings or investment plan is also another essential part of our financial planning. But again, we have to think about safety. If you have a keen personal interest in the financial markets and you know what you are doing, by all means, go for it and manage your own financial portfolio. But, if you sit down to look at financial reports or charts, and all you see are numbers or red and green candles, red lights are coming on.

The minute you invest, or you open a transaction on a trading platform, and you "hope for the best", rather let it go and leave your financial portfolio in the hands of a professional person.

Safety Feels Good.

Being in a safe environment provides us with a feeling of security.

Some people are natural "adrenalin junkies" and loves adventure and being challenged. Other people prefer to remain in their "comfort zone" where they feel safe and comfortable.

But all of us have a desire to be able to return to a "safe place" when needed.

I suppose we can say some of us love a challenge by leaving the comfort of that "safe place" while others prefer to remain in that "safe place" and never leave it unless they absolutely have to. They just prefer to remain within that comfort zone and not to be challenged or feel threatened in any way. Others get bored and get out out of their comfort zone, looking for the next challenge.

Why and When Should We Leave Our Comfort Zone?

Yes, safety first by all means. But there comes a time when we actually need to leave that comfort zone of feeling safe if we want to make any progress at all.

We need to realize that as long as we remain within our comfort zone in any given area, we will never experience growth in that particular area.

By leaving your comfort zone, facing a challenge doesn't mean you need to become reckless.

Let's take the example of a race driver.

I have heard this analogy from a professional Formula 1 driver. I cannot remember exactly who it was, but what he said was so striking to me and it will always remain with me.

He said, "anybody can drive fast. It's easy to drive fast. There is no art to driving fast. You simply push that pedal flat to the floor and off you go. The question is: Can you handle that speed? Do you know how to respond and how to remain in control of that vehicle at those speeds?"

I believe this is applicable in any area of life. Whether it involves sports activities, professional, or financial matters...it doesn't matter what you do, the principle remains the same.

Any fool can storm in blindly (drive fast). But, do you know the risk involved? Are you prepared for the unexpected when it happens? Would you know what to do? Did you start slow/small to first get your feet wet or gain some experience to just get the feel for it first?

Being responsible, testing the water first, and making informed decisions, won't take the fear away. The fear or challenge that the unknown presents will still be present.

Everything you've ever wanted is on the other side of fear. ~ George Addair

But you will be taking calculated risks which will gradually expand and become bigger, faster, and /or more challenging.

As you grow as a person, as a professional, a sportsman, an investor, or a trader...whatever it is you want to do, you will be able to handle bigger challenges by taking informed decisions.

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. ~ Anais Nin

The risk and the challenges will still be there, but you will know how to handle them.

Coming back to the example of the race driver...

In general, there is more risk involved in Formula 1 driving than normal driving on public roads. Yet, I've heard it being said that it is safer for a Formula 1 driver to drive in a professional Formula 1 race than for us to take a drive on public roads.

That race is taking place under controlled conditions. All drivers are professional drivers and they know what they are doing.

While we, on public roads...we have to deal with vehicles which sometimes are not completely roadworthy. We sometimes have to deal with drunk drivers or... What about that character that thinks he's a Formula 1 driver and tries to live it out on our public roads...?

Do I say nothing can go wrong on a Formula 1 track? Of course not. Things can go wrong. It can go horribly wrong. But those drivers are better prepared to handle those situations than any of us.

The same goes for professional business people. They know where and when to take risks and how big those risks can be. The same with investors, traders, etc...

The fact is, none of these drivers, athletes, business people, or investors would have been in the positions they are if they weren't willing to get out of their comfort zone at some point. To be honest, they would not have been able to keep on growing, if they were not willing to still get out of their comfort zones by still taking more calculated risks, testing the boundaries of their abilities in a challenging, yet responsible manner.

Do they still experience that adrenalin rush? Do they still feel fear? Sure they do. That is what keeps them alive. They keep growing and expanding by pushing their limits and taking calculated risks.

I recently watched a television interview with a well-known South African celebrity, Eon de Vos, who is known for being "adventurous".

During the interview, many of the activities were discussed which he took part in during his lifetime. Amongst others, it involved race car driving and aerobatic flying.

By the end of the interview, the presenter made the statement that Eon obviously cannot be a fearful person... To which Eon laughingly responded... "As a matter of fact, I do get scared. That's why I'm still alive".

So, let's be responsible and always make safety a priority. But also, do not become stagnant by never leaving your comfort zone. To experience growth, we need to leave our comfort zones. That is the only place where growth takes place...outside our comfort zone.