Once we find ourselves working at the same place for some time, we end up entering into the comfort zone. This usually means we are comfortable there, we don’t invest in ourselves anymore and we rely on that monthly payment from them. That’s great and all, but the truth is that it also means we end up stale. We don’t invest in ourselves and our knowledge, and that can end up being a problem. If you want to reach success in the things you do, then you must try to push the boundaries and always find how to take things to the next level. Being in your comfort zone so long means that your mindset is fixed and you are not able to imagine yourself growing proving that you are smart by doing the same thing every day and doing fewer mistakes. While going out of your comfort zone means that you are able to build a growth mindset that helps you to look at mistakes as an opportunity to learn new skills and grow yourself. So which mindset you want it to rule the way you look at things; the fixed mindset or the growth mindset?
1- Less creativity
As we mentioned earlier, being in the comfort zone makes you stale. You just start doing the same things over and over. That ends up killing your creativity and turning you into that static and uncreative person. Because you might be afraid of failure or want to look smart. Gowing slowly out of your comfort zone will help you to build a creative mindset by facing untraditional situations, which you find yourself forced to solve using untraditional strategies and tools.
2- You are not learning new skills anymore
Once you reach the comfort zone, you end up on a plateau. You believe that’s the best thing that could happen, and you just don’t want to try out something new. It might not seem like a problem, but it’s actually a major one you want to avoid. When you continue staying in the comfort zone, you don’t have any chance to boost your career, and that can be extremely problematic. What you want to do is to always focus on learning new skills. Figure out what are the top 3 skills that you need to learn over the coming year to achieve potential growth in the future Management skills are very important if you want to grow within your company. Integrating new technologies and understanding how to do that are all amazing skills that will help take your skill set to new heights. Challenging yourself with new situations and new projects is the best way to learn new skills.
3- Lacking self-confidence
Believe it or not, the comfort zone will also lower your confidence levels. You’ll continue doing the same things over and over. As a result, it will be very difficult to do something new, and in the end, that can be an issue. Even you get promoted to a managerial position, you will end up being a shaky-handed boss who can’t grow his or her department. You want to focus on getting out of your comfort zone and boost your confidence levels. Research shows that embarking on projects that are new in nature is one the most effective ways to boost your self-confidence. If you’re not challenging yourself enough with learning new things and constantly adapting, then expect to be low self-esteem professional. You want to expose yourself to new challenges and conquer your fears. It might not seem like a lot, but the fact that you challenge yourself can bring in great potential.
4- You are not fulfilled in your career anymore because you are just settling in
Usually, people who reach career plateau stick to their comfort zone because they get paid every month and they rely on that paycheck. They don’t want to take risks that would bring in severe challenges in their lives. But what they tend to ignore is that staying longer in their comfort zone is always associated with low levels of happiness and fulfillment, as you don’t so much value you could add to your work, career, or your society. Fulfillment comes from achieving something new and adding value to the place that you work in. It will never come from a static and fixed mindset.
The last thing you want is to settle for something. You want to work hard, challenge yourself, and pursue the goals you set for yourself. However, when you are in the comfort zone, you just want to stay there and settle with the things you have. That prevents growth, and it will keep you unhappy in the long run. It also diminishes your potential.
Conclusion
We encourage you to really take your time and find ways to push yourself as you reach the next level. Commit to success and try to enhance your confidence levels. Plus, invest in yourself and learn new things. The more you do that, the better the results will be. Don’t settle with the comfort zone, always push the boundaries and you will reach success in the long run.
