A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment, experiencing low levels of anxiety and stress. In this zone, a steady level of performance is possible.
The growth zone is the zone in which you will be able to achieve exceptional success. This is the famous zone where you will have achieved your main objectives and where you will be able to define even more ambitious new ones. Most of the most successful people have made this journey and have taken the risk of leaving their comfort zone.
Once you have decided to leave your comfort zone, you will reach an unknown zone. This is to reach this zone of fear and evolve successfully, you must learn to see failure as a stepping-stone to success. You have the right to make mistakes and you must be convinced of them.
In this fear zone, you will probably lack self-confidence. On difficult days, you may even seek an apology. The opinions of others may affect you. Worse yet, they may discourage you.
Nevertheless, with your desire to move forward and reach the growth zone, you will stop for a moment and think. Your passage through this new and unknown zone of fear can last for some time. You will persevere and successfully cross this zone,
You will then enter the learning zone. Once in this zone of awareness, of the opportunities available to you, you will decide to face the challenges and problems you will encounter. You will learn new skills, but it will not be without cost.
To learn continuously throughout your life, you will have to become 2 learning machines. Expanding your comfort zone though means exploring the limits of your learning zone. Often times jumping into panic zones sends people running back to their comfort zone, never wanting to leave again. By finding your learning zone, you’re much more likely to learn in a way that builds confidence.
Through learning and perseverance, you will finally reach the growth zone. You will be able to realize your dreams and achieve your goals. But before that, you will have to find a goal. You can find your goal through 3 quick questions:
- What motivates you?
- What are your natural gifts?
- What do others see in you?
When you have found what you love, what you know how to do, and what others are willing to pay you for, all you have to do is target the union of these 3 sets to find your goal and see a gold mine of opportunities open up for you.
By remaining humble, persistent, and mentally strong, you will be able to survive in this growth zone. You will eventually set new goals and your wildest dreams will be within reach.
NAOHP Town Hall – April 2020 (Courtesy of Randy Van Straten, Board Member)
