Our comfort zones are such convenient places to hang out. We know how everything works. What something’s going to feel like. Where our strengths lie. It’s no wonder we like staying there.

The problem is that our comfort zones aren’t particularly conducive to making progress. They’re all about staying where you are, maintaining the status quo. Plus, they’re so cozy and comfortable that we might not even notice how tightly we’re holding to them.

We all have a comfort zone, and it shows up in our limiting beliefs, our imposter syndrome, our fears. When we’re scared of making that first hire, delegating to our team, promoting our organization, being authentic and vulnerable — hello, comfort zone.

The only way to get unstuck from your comfort zone is to acknowledge that you’re at the edge of it and then make a plan to step outside of it.

Why not just stay in your comfort zone?

Look, the purpose of doing something outside of your comfort zone isn’t just to say you’ve done it — to cross something off your bucket list.

If I’m afraid of heights, and I go skydiving, that doesn’t necessarily mean I’ve conquered my fear of heights. It’s just one data point. In fact, I might let it keep me in my comfort zone in the future. Hey, I already did that scary thing. I’m good.

While doing something outside our comfort zone one time may boost our confidence, it doesn’t necessarily expand our comfort zone. The way to expand our comfort zone is by adapting and integrating those new behaviors — for the purpose of growth. It’s going skydiving six times, noticing the fearful thoughts, practicing the deep breaths, and determining whether those skydives changed how you feel standing on the top of a mountain or climbing a ladder. Ultimately becoming comfortable with heights, and perhaps even enjoying them.

And chances are, you’re not just trying to get over your fear of heights for the fun of it. You’re doing it because that fear is standing in your way. It’s keeping you from going rappelling with your kids or taking that trip to the Grand Canyon. Or just cleaning your gutters.

The same is true in your business.

Whatever type of organization you run, there are times you’ll be faced with a choice to step out of your comfort zone. Or not.

Of course, we don’t always see that choice for what it is. Sometimes comfort zones can be so comfy that we don’t even see how stuck we are. We may think we’re making smart choices when the truth is that we’re just holding on to something that feels comfortable.

See: Is it Business or Is it Personal? When Friends and Colleagues Collide

Are you stuck at the edge of your comfort zone?

Knowing whether you’re stuck in your comfort zone requires self-awareness. And most of us have a few personal blind spots. Fortunately, there are some symptoms of being stuck at the edge of your comfort zone that can give you a clue that it might be what you’re dealing with.

Feeling fear or anxiety. I’m not talking about clinical anxiety — that’s something you should see a therapist for. I am talking about situational fear or worry that comes up and keeps you from taking an action you’ve determined is the right one for your business. If you’re not moving through the fear, that may be a sign you’re stuck in your comfort zone. Pro tip: this type of fear often shows up as a limiting belief.
Having trouble making a decision. I see so many business owners struggling with indecisiveness for exactly this reason. They tell me they’ve done the analysis and decided what they should do. Then they come back the next week and tell me they did a different analysis. And the same thing the week after that. They’re afraid to step out of their comfort zone.
Inconsistency when trying to develop a new practice or behavior. Lots of leaders make plans to change practices within their company or add an important element (say, a continuous feedback system). And then they struggle to keep it up. They may see it as a time management problem. It could also be a comfort zone issue — that new system requires a new way of operating and looking at their organization.
Receiving feedback that’s inconsistent with your own belief. Say everyone on your team is saying it’s time to hire an operations manager. You’re adamant that the company’s not ready for that. It’s time to do an honest evaluation of your reasoning. Does your analysis truly match up with your position? Or is something else holding you back?
Not achieving something or missing a goal. There are dozens of reasons organizations don’t meet their goals. One of them could be that doing so requires stepping out of your comfort zone. For instance, achieving that goal might involve taking a risk that you just didn’t take. If a goal involves some sort of growth, it’s likely out of your comfort zone.
Noticing a particular pattern of behavior that’s not helpful. A repetitive behavior could be something like your team constantly rolling out new ideas before finishing the old ones. Or maybe you have a lot of balls in the air, and you never get to do Quadrant II strategy work. You’ll see good things happening, and also have a sense that the current pattern isn’t sustainable. These patterns are perhaps your comfort zone in being a visionary rather than an implementer.

See: The Most Common Limiting Beliefs of Entrepreneurs and How to Overcome Them

How to move beyond your comfort zone

So what do you do about it? If you’re aware it’s happening, you’re ahead of the game. There’s often a co-occurrence. For instance, someone who keeps starting new things might be afraid to finish the projects they’ve already begun. You can’t always get to the root cause — and maybe you don’t always have to.

Sometimes working with the symptoms is enough.

I saw both Top Gun movies a few weeks ago, and a recurring phrase was: “Don’t think. Just do.”

At the risk of reducing coaching down to a two-sentence mantra from an action movie, it’s a pretty good one.

There are plenty of times when entrepreneurs and business owners should think less and act more — or without so much thought. Why? Because you’ve already thought too much.

Most of our clients who overthink know they do it. They just keep coming back to it because they can’t break out of that comfort zone.

If “just do” isn’t quite enough to push you there, here are three other strategies to help you move forward.

Seek intervention. One of our clients was going around in circles about a potential new role in their company. We had encouraged them to put together a board of advisors, and that became an issue for their discussion. The board looked at the client’s analysis and made their recommendation. That outside-in perspective (more than just mine!) helped guide them out of their comfort zone.
Ask yourself what’s the worst thing that could happen. One of the challenges with fear is that it’s about things that haven’t yet happened, and likely won’t. So doing an analysis of the worst possible outcome can move you to a more analytical and less emotional mindset. Often clients find that they could manage whatever might occur. And that lets them break out of their comfort zone.
Take small steps. One of the strategies we use a lot with clients when we see resistance to moving forward is breaking an action into multiple small steps. You may not know exactly how you’ll get from Point A to Point B because it seems so far away. That might be scary, and taking a series of little steps, one at a time, will eventually get you there.

Final thoughts

As with any issue that requires self-awareness, getting an outside-in perspective can be helpful. A coach, a mentor, an advisor (or a whole board) can help you identify whether you’re stuck — and how to get unstuck.

You can also be that person for team members in your organization that are having their own trouble getting out of a comfort zone. Be on the lookout for it in your employees. They may need support identifying their limiting beliefs and creating strategies for progress.

Our series on coaching your team can help you take that coaching (as opposed to managing) role.

The Coaching Process
How to Give Feedback
What is Your Coaching Style?

What comfort zone is holding you back? Contact Trajectify to see how our coaches can help.