From “Comfort Zone” To “Growth Zone”

Published: March 2, 2023, 9 a.m.

00:00:17 today we pull from Peter Holland's new book The lifelong learner it contends that Humans have a startling tendency to gravitate toward the mundane, the monotonous, and the known.

00:00:52 Judith Bardwick, a management theorist, used the term "comfort zone" in her 1991 work, Danger in the Comfort Zone.

00:03:37 Abraham Maslow's (1943) theory of self-actualization posits that humans have an innate need to reach their full potential.

00:04:06 Perhaps someone like Thomas Edison, the American inventor whose advancements to the light bulb made it a symbol of brilliance?

00:04:31 According to renowned Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck in her book Mindset, it is not IQ, ability, or education that distinguishes successful people.

00:06:05 Psychologist Andy Molinsky has dedicated his career to understanding why people resist leaving their comfort zones, and how they can overcome that resistance.

00:06:59 Use the 3 Cs to Achieve Escape Velocity In his research, Molinsky discovered three techniques that people utilize to successfully venture outside of their comfort zones.

00:09:27 Using the Three Cs: Conviction A sense of conviction is important in many aspects of life.

00:10:17 Meet Barbara.

00:15:00 Using the Three Cs: Customization In the world of fashion, customization is a process that allows you to take an existing piece of clothing and make it your own.

00:18:20 What I do in those situations is go earlier than everyone else.

00:22:45 Using the Three Cs: Clarity Clarity is gaining an objective, logical viewpoint of the difficulties you are facing.

00:23:33 Psychotherapist Tori Rodriguez says that acknowledging and challenging negative thoughts can lead to greater clarity and understanding of life.

00:28:25 Distorted thinking that results from a lack of clarity can also lead to frequent Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs).

• Embracing the uncharted terrain of leaving your comfort zones aids in the development of confidence and resilience, allowing you to continue developing and learning for the rest of your life. This acquired understanding eventually means that your comfort zone has increased even further and you are now in the growth zone.

• Psychologist Andy Molinsky has dedicated his career to understanding why people resist leaving their comfort zones, and how they can overcome that resistance using three Cs: conviction, customization, and clarity. You must develop strong convictions, which are your core beliefs, such as altruism, generosity, gratitude, integrity, accountability, and perseverance.

• Customization relates to your ability to successfully adjust your behavior to your surroundings without losing yourself in the process. Consider it "fitting in" without fully "giving in." You're still you, just slightly altered (e.g., wearing your power suit, carrying your lucky charm, etc.) to trick yourself into feeling at ease and easily blending into your surroundings. Lastly, you must have clarity, which is obtaining an objective, rational perspective on the problems you are facing. By challenging your negative thoughts, you can gain a clearer picture of your challenges.

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