We’ve all seen the diagram: The circle labeled, “Comfort Zone,” and the area outside of it labeled, “Where the magic happens.” It’s common wisdom that it’s important to get outside your comfort zone—but why is that? And how do you make it happen? So I connected with John Johnson, an Employee Benefits Consultant and a big believer in the benefits of discomfort, for a chat about why it’s so important and how you can embrace it in your life.
We started by breaking down what being uncomfortable is all about—and that’s embracing change. For John, it’s a mindset—a fundamental shift that’s paid dividends in his personal life, in his family and in his professional life. As he explains, “The world is continuing to change around us all the time. The cost of not changing and improving is way too high.” Then we got into some ways you can ensure that change is part of your life.
Tackle what makes you uncomfortable
There are many things that make us uncomfortable: Public speaking, conflict, trying new things. But tackling those things head on are what helps us grow the most. As John explains, “It’s the people that lean into that and say, ‘You know what? I’m going to get comfortable with conflict,’ that ultimately are fantastic at it.” By intentionally going after what’s hardest, you build important skills along the way.
Seek out new perspectives
If you stick within your comfort zone, you aren’t exposed to ideas and perspectives that can shift your whole world for the better. John’s parents always instilled in him that it’s important to travel and get different perspectives on things. As he puts it, “If you don’t take a chance like Columbus did, you’ll never find the new world.”
Bring it into your personal life
Seeking out the uncomfortable can have positive effects on all aspects of life. John explained, “I found that my professional life was improving but my personal life wasn’t because I didn’t challenge myself.” He encourages everyone to seek out the friends who will challenge you, be honest with you and want to grow with you, rather than hold you back.
It’s okay to be bad at things
John is a firm believer in the benefits of being bad at things. Learning a new sport or activity is a great way to challenge yourself, keep yourself humble and remember what it’s like to learn something new. He explains, “Teaching ourselves that we all should be learning something and that people are always on different paths of learning is really important.” At the end of the day, it’s a journey. You don’t get everything right the first time, but, “Instilling a willingness to keep going and move forward as a team to attack whatever challenge comes your way,” is what it’s all about.
Want more?
You can find John Johnson on LinkedIn or email him at John.Johnson@USI.com.