The comfort zone. The state of relative comfort created by a steady level of performance and vice versa – the state of relative comfort which creates a steady level of performance.
Feels like I’m standing here in a timeless dream…
Why would you ever like to get out of your comfort zone if it feels so good to be in it?
You must get out of your comfort zone to maximize your performance. Period.
In order to maximize your performance you need a state of relative anxiety – the space where your stress levels are slightly higher than normal.
There is a state described by psychology called OPTIMAL ANXIETY.
Too much anxiety and we are too stressed to be productive and our performance drops significantly instead of increasing.
Less is more.
OPTIMAL ANXIETY is a state just out of the comfort zone.
Keep in mind that continuous living outside of the comfort zone is not really possible in the long run. Let’s have a look into why not?
Hedonic adaptation theory suggests that the joys of loves and triumphs and the sorrows of losses and humiliations fade with time (after Sonja Lyubomirsky, Department of Psychology, University of California).
This simply implies that we would need to be making changes in our life continuously in order to be happy.
What happens when the only constant in your life is the change?
You are living in the continuous state of high stress. Neither this feels good nor brings you happiness. Continuous state of high stress is NOT what you desire.
Continuous state of high stress is where we reside when we keep changing things in our life without stopping to appreciate what we already have. Without learning to appreciate what we already have we likely fail to clearly see what we really want in life.
Variety is what we all desire. Changing small things in your routines gives us variety and this pinch of uncertainty we need to feel alive.
At the same time we maintain a familiar level of certainty that we need to harness our stress levels. The combination of certainty and uncertainty- two out of many spices of life allows us to feel good.
That’s the perfect ground for growth.
Of course, you can grow to some extend by pushing your boundaries, however, it’s not the only (neither most productive) way to maximize your performance and to grow.
How about recognizing and appreciating the gifts that you already have?
Doesn’t developing self-trust feel good?
Build confidence that you deserve to be happy because you are perfect as you are.
Less pushing and forcing, more reflection, joy and ease.
If you have already tried stepping out of your comfort zone “the hard way” why don’t you try something new? Take small steps, change small routines, allow variety and get out of your comfort zone just to reach the state of optimal anxiety.
Practice much more of self-acceptance and self-love.
Allow yourself to be happy and increase your performance.
