Don’t rest on your oars!

Everyone has a set goal in life, but for many of us this dream of reaching this goal never goes beyond the figments of our imaginations because we feel comfortable where we are or are scarred of the unknown. Rather than dare this fear, we crowd our thoughts with self-doubts and allow the fear of […]

Everyone has a set goal in life, but for many of us this dream of reaching this goal never goes beyond the figments of our imaginations because we feel comfortable where we are or are scarred of the unknown. Rather than dare this fear, we crowd our thoughts with self-doubts and allow the fear of failure to get the better of us. Some of us do not even bother to conceive such dreams because we are satisfied with the mediocrity level at which we operate even when we know we could be better and rise higher. Our own self limitations and beliefs in ourselves ensure that we remain where we are year in year out.

Regardless of the aspect of our lives, it is natural for us to have reservations about certain things and feel uncomfortable doing them because we do not want to go outside our comfort zone, but whether we like it or not, we have to come to terms with the reality of living and consider pushing ourselves beyond the comfort that we have always known.  We need to begin to consider pushing ourselves beyond our own edge; and if falling over the cliff is the way we are able to break the boundary and get on to new horizons, it is worth giving it a trial.

Commenting on this, a secondary school teacher, Miss Hope Agbajo said why analyzing the attitude of her students to their work, she has always wondered why many find it difficult to try out new things. Agbajo says that so far the recurrent response to this is that it is sufficient for them to remain where they are than to do more than is expected of them.

This is one of several other reasons why human beings hardly dare to step out of their boxes. The fact that we cannot predict the outcome of a new venture makes us comfortable to stay where we are and believe we have not lost anything.

Change is something we are generally resistant to and hardly ever ready for. We prefer to stay where we are and just hope that a full package comes our way that brings us success with little or no efforts.

To achieve success we have to open our minds to make life-changing decisions and adjustments with the possibility of their being permanent. This will be more effective if we remain persistent to these new adjustments as we step out of your comfort zone.

When we have these set in place, we will begin to excel in our personal and professional life.

An anonymous contributor to wikihow explains that “there are the big fears, such as heights, spiders, tight spaces, and germs, but there are also hundreds of subtle fears we bow to every day. Like the fear of breaking a bone, or falling down, or getting caught in the rain.”

The fellow goes on to ask what the precautions are that one takes every day to circumvent “negative” circumstances as well as if those circumstances really worth stepping around. Those steps add up, he says. “It’s good to be proactive, but it’s bad to let a significant portion of your life be devoted to averting things that never happen–little things that could turn into adventures or funny stories if you allow yourself to deal with a little discomfort.”

The contributor asserts that we become comfortable when we take risks. According to him, “your comfort zone is comfortable because it’s where you know what to expect. Going out on a limb can be scary because you might fall. You might lose something. But you might also gain something, huh? In order to become comfortable with that uncertainty, you’ll need to practise the following:

Non-attachment: When you decide to do something, do it for its own sake, not so that you can get a particular result. If you gamble, gamble with money you’re ready and willing to lose; gamble for the fun and exhilaration of gambling. If you win, that’s icing on the cake, but if you lose, no big deal. In other words, let go of your attachment to a certain outcome; instead, focus on the joy of doing whatever you’re doing. Live in the moment.

Acceptance: When things do not go your way, and they will not, shrug it off. If you’re clinging to your comfort zone, you’re hanging on to an idea that the world is supposed to be a safe, predictable place, and that’s an illusion. You’re setting yourself up for frustration and disappointment. Open your eyes. The world is a dynamic place where things go right and wrong. That’s just the way it is!”