Definition of comfort zone (Miriam Webster)
- 1: the temperature range within which one is comfortable
- 2: the level at which one functions with ease and familiarity
Let's be real with ourselves for a moment. Most of you would agree that your own unique comfort zone can be a great place. Within your comfort zone there is safety and little stress. Actually, staying in your comfort zone can result in consistent, steady performance.
BUT, think about it: Did you ever do something you were really proud of when you were playing it safe? Probably not.
But who cares, right? You may be thinking " As long as I'm comfortable and safe it won't hurt anyone." WRONG!
Living within a comfort zone will come at a cost to you. Staying there is harmful to your physical, emotional and spiritual well being. Why? Because you were created to grow and learn. Your brain is
working at full potential when you are learning. Think of a child's development. No one ever told a child just entering this world to mimic others, to try to walk or try to talk. It was an innate desire born into that child to desire to do more as that child grew in strength. Remember that child still lives in you and desires to experience and learn.
working at full potential when you are learning. Think of a child's development. No one ever told a child just entering this world to mimic others, to try to walk or try to talk. It was an innate desire born into that child to desire to do more as that child grew in strength. Remember that child still lives in you and desires to experience and learn.
The first lie we tell ourselves is "I don't have time."
We all lead busy lives and we use our limited time as an excuse to not challenge ourselves. We often times say "I just don't have time." We use that statement as an excuse to stay the same. The reality is that claiming we don't have time is a lie we tell ourselves.
I have told myself and others this lie over and over again. BUT, I always find time to do the things I enjoy like going to the gym, shopping, watching television, etc. I'm sure I'm not alone in this.
Research suggests that we don’t have a realistic perspective when it comes to our use of time. For instance, one study shared that participants claimed to only get 6 or 7 hours of sleep, when time diaries showed they were actually getting more than 8 hours of sleep. Additionally, time studies have told us that when people are asked to label their week’s time, the weeks will often add up to more than 168 hours. Unfortunately, even the busiest of us have only 168 hours a week. And what we do with those 168 hours matters.
The solution? This Wall Street Journal article suggests that you swap the phrase “I don’t have time” with “It isn’t a priority.” So let's try that. "I'm not going to challenge myself because it isn't a priority." That just doesn't seem right. Something is terribly wrong with that statement. That change will surely make you re-evaluate your use of time.
We all get 168 hours per week. What will you do with yours?
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