"Growth and Change"

Often as leaders/managers, we have to encourage or push people to grow beyond their existing comfort zones. If we didn't do this, most people would never realize their true potential.

Why do we have this resistance to change and growth?

My belief is that comfort zones are just limiting beliefs based on historical patterns and what we have previously achieved or not achieved. If we have done something before, then we are comfortable with doing it again. If we have never or rarely done it before, then we are uncomfortable (fearful?) doing it.

The first time you ride a bike is filled with challenge, fear and often outright mistakes like falling. If you keep at it, the fear fades, the comfort level increases to the point that riding a bike is effortless and fun.

Comfort zones have nothing to do with what we are capable of doing.

I repeat, comfort zones have nothing to do with what we are capable of doing.

My experience is that 95 percent of people, when asked to do something outside their normal comfort zone, will say no and strongly resist doing it. A push is needed. Sometimes a strong push.

We sometimes use words or phrases like "change management" or "motivating people" but at the bottom of most of this is the problem of overcoming our fear of leaving our comfort zones.

When we are young, almost everything is new to us, so we have very few comfort zones, so our ability to try new things is naturally high. As we get older, we create more and more comfort zones, where we live, what we do etcetera etcetera. Which usually means that as we age, we become less and less willing to leave all these comfort zones and try new things.

The key question is how good are you at pushing yourself out of your comfort zones to try new things and therefore achieve more in your life?

This is a critical ability, if you want to have a full, successful life.

Food for thought.

Ross McBride
Managing Director
The Personal Performance Centre

Mr. McBride does corporate education seminars, CEO/Executive coaching and keynote speaking engagements for successful organizations in North America, Asia and Europe.  He is an expert on subjects as diverse as Negotiation Skills, Leadership, Teambuilding and Sales.

For more information please visit our web site at www.personal-performance.org.