November 1-4, 2017 I participated in the College Reading and Learning Association’s (CRLA) 50th anniversary conference. Working the registration table I got to meet many attendees for whom this was their first CRLA conference. And among that group there were a few who were presenting for their first time at a professional event. One in particular was very nervous. I told her nervous was good as long as she stayed in charge and didn’t let those nerves get the best of her. I further explained that the anxiety she was feeling could actually work to her benefit. She looked at me quizzically.
I shared that when our stress levels are slightly elevated we move out of our comfort zone – that place or state of mind where we feel at ease, in control; things come easily; things feel/seem familiar. But, when we move out of comfort zone our performance levels are actually enhanced. Psychologists Robert M. Yerkes and John D. Dodson (way back in 1908) said that we need a time of “optimal anxiety,” a time when our stress levels are slightly elevated so that our performance levels can increase, getting better. They further explained that when in our comfort zone, we move along at a safe, comfortable pace.
There is nothing wrong with this. We all need that pace in our lives. But, to get to the next level with something we do need to move beyond our comfort zone. And, like it or not, when things change, we often need to get to the next level to survive, to thrive, or to stay sane and positive amid the change. That state of optimal anxiety can motivate us to do what is necessary to survive, to thrive, or to maintain our sanity in the changed environment.
Using that state of optimal anxiety when beyond our comfort zone helps us deal with change by:
MOVING US BEYOND OUR FEARS. Tim Ferris (American science writer and the best-selling author) said, “What we fear doing most, is usually what we most need to do.” What we fear outside the comfort zone is only there because the “survival portion” of our brain is trying to protect us. When in a state of optimal anxiety, we are motivated to do well, motivated to thrive. This motivation often helps us put our fears into perspective and see that the worst that might happen may not be all that bad. When things are put in perspective the scariness of the situation really isn’t so foreboding.
OPENING OUR EYES TO POSSIBILITIES. The area right outside the comfort zone is where creativity, imagination, and curiosity take hold, blossom, and grow. We will never know what is possible or what we are capable of achieving unless we leave the confines of what is comfortable and known. How can we move forward unless we are willing to open new doors and try new things? Anthony Robbins (self-help author) reminds us that, “If you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.”
INCREASING OUR LEARNING CURVE. The shift outside our comfort zone forces us to try new things. The shift outside our comfort zone gives us an opportunity to learn things about ourselves and to see ourselves in a different light. As motivational speaker and self-development author Brian Tracy reminds us, “You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.”
INSPIRING US TO SEE MISTAKES AS LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. Oftentimes, what is scary about life outside the comfort zone is the fear of failing and/or the fear of making mistakes. Both mistakes and failures are prerequisites for success. Thomas Edison (an American inventor and businessman) said, “I haven’t failed. I’ve found 10,000 ways that don’t work.” Edison was inspired by his mistakes; they encouraged him to work harder to find solutions for his work. And, so it is with us outside the comfort zone. We need to be willing to make mistakes and then be willing to learn from them. The most successful people in the world are those that make decisions, make mistakes, learn from, adjust accordingly, and move on.
MOTIVATING US TO GO AFTER OUR DREAMS. The only way our dreams and goals are attainable is if we become discontent with our current comfort zone and are willing to move beyond it to turn the dream or goal into reality. When we picture ourselves living out our dream, we will find ways to make it happen. Often those ways take us well beyond the confines of our current comfort zone. As American self-help author Napoleon Hill said, “Whatever the mind can conceive and believe it can achieve.” But, that achievement will only take place outside of our comfort zone.
Chauncey Depew (an attorney and a United States Senator from New York from 1899 to 1911) said, “The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are.” Not staying where you are means using the state of optimal anxiety to move you beyond your comfort zone into the realm of possibilities, productivity, and potential. The benefits will bring much satisfaction and will stay with you for a long time.
Author Becky Johnen 