Breaking out of your comfort zone.... Why this could be important for YOU....

After some reflection, I think it is an important component of success....

Some have mentioned this below in a direct or indirect way...

like Bob Beckman (Re: Why do people have a fear of success?) and Michael Ross (Embrace the Fear)....

This point was just brought home to me in the last few hours....

I'm one of three brothers, and my youngest brother is about 10 years younger than me. My brother is still studying at university, and he has been working at a part-time finance-related job for about 3 weeks....

And he just negotiated a 40% pay rise!

I won't go much into the details.... except that he had a better offer, and used it to leverage a better pay and more flexible working hours. But he said something to me that just struck home, after all these discussions....

He told me he had to leave his comfort zone.

He told me he felt uncomfortable about possibly resigning from a job after working there only 3 weeks, and also about negotiating a higher pay rise.

But he stepped out of his comfort zone to negotiate.... even though he had only been there 3 weeks....

Sometimes, I guess you've got to do that if you're going to get ahead....

My brother may be 10 years younger than me, but I seem to learn from him all the time.... :)

Just some thoughts.... I hope this sparks some ideas in you :)

- Dien

Just wanted to add something....

My brother had another job offer to go to when he started his negotiation. He was willing to resign the job he had....

That can put you in a powerful position....

However, I don't think it is wise to do this unless you really are willing to resign.... Bluffing could backfire on you.... It's also dishonest, and I prefer to be honest and also to deal with other honest people....

I don't want anyone to get in trouble after reading this story.... The story was more about moving out of your COMFORT ZONE, but then I realized it might give some people other ideas too....

In the end, the result for my brother and his employer was really WIN/WIN. They are both happy with the new arrangement (and I have no doubt that his employers are impressed with his "guts", his "initiative", his "chutzpah")....

His employer is making profits directly from what my brother is doing in his job, and my brother before this was feeling underpaid once he discovered how much money his employer made directly from his work compared to what they paid him....

I don't want anyone here to get in trouble though....

It's the same sort of advice I'd give to my brother when he asks for it.... :)

- Dien