213) How to know if you are in your Comfort Zone?

You have heard from motivational seminars or your friends telling you that you are stuck in your comfort zone.

Have you ever wonder how to know if you are in your comfort zone?

Here's an easy way to find out the answer.

You can take it literally.
If you feel comfortable, you are in your comfort zone.

How to know if you are in your comfort zone?
If you feel relaxed and calm in what you are doing, then you are in your comfort zone.
If you feel confident that you can achieve a task easily, then you are in your comfort zone.
If you can do a task without thinking much, then you are in your comfort zone.

People like to do the same things again and again. It is a way our brain works to keep us out of danger. Doing the same things give us safety. We know what to expect. It is self preservation.

However, doing the same things will give you the same result.
Albert Einstein quoted, "Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."



Then how do you know you are out of your comfort zone?

You can take it literally too.
If you don't feel comfortable, you are out of your comfort zone.

How to know if you are out of your comfort zone?
If you feel pressure, stress, panic, worried, lost, doubtful, etc, then you are out of your comfort zone.
If you have no confidence that you can achieve a task, then you are out of your comfort zone.
If you have to plan and think a lot, then you are out of your comfort zone.
If you have to ask or look for help, then you are out of your comfort zone.


If you want to change, you need to change on how you do things.

Doing something differently can be in many ways. It can be a small change or a major change.
Small change will bring small differences.
BIG change will bring BIG differences.

Even doing something with different mindset will produce different results.

A simple example to illustrate. You may be angry of driving in the traffic jam. However, by making a small change in your thinking, you will change the way you look at the traffic jam. If you think that you are lucky to be able to drive, it will make you feel grateful to be in the traffic jam. There are many others who cannot drive and cannot even afford a car.

How do you make changes to get different results?

Let's say you have to make phone calls to get sales appointment. You can confidently and easily make 10 calls per day. You have no problem at all. Out of the 10 calls, you can get 3 appointments. As you can be confident to get 3 appointments, then this is your comfort zone.

Try to increase your calls to 20 calls per day. Increasing your number of calls is something outside of your comfort zone.

At first, you will get a lot of questions and doubt your ability.
Your will ask yourself if this is possible?
Where to get the names to call?
What time to call so many people?
Will that many people want to pick up my calls?

If you don't feel comfortable, then you are out of your comfort zone.


Similarly, getting 3 appointment per 10 calls is 30% success rate. Try to increase to get 50% success rate. 30% is in your comfort zone, 50% is outside your comfort zone.

Many people stop trying to do new things because of the big changes they try to do. 
Your mind will resist the major changes to keep you safely inside your Comfort Zone. But, having small changes will be more comfortable to you. You are slowly and steadily expanding your Comfort Zone. Make your Comfort Zone circle bigger and bigger until you reach your goal.

If you have done 10 calls per day, then make it 11 calls for tomorrow. Slowly and steadily increase the number of calls until you reach your target of 20 calls per day. When you achieved a small goal, celebrate your success with a small celebration.

You will be motivated to keep doing more and EXPAND your Comfort Zone. Your mind will associate celebration and happiness with your effort to try new things and do more. Expanding your comfort zone is going to be an exciting experience.

Once you have the expanding momentum, you will be able to make bigger changes.