Going beyond your comfort zone....

If you want to succeed, you usually have to move beyond your "comfort zone".

If you keep doing the same thing, you'll get the same results! So, to succeed, you have to push a bit further and start doing something different. Doing something different usually means going beyond your comfort zone....

There are a couple ways you can start to move beyond your comfort zone.

One way is the "sink or swim" approach! Jump in all the way, and start working like mad, hoping you'll succeed and won't "drown". For example, some people get their start in business this way.... They'll quit their job, "jump in" to the business world completely, and start working furiously, hoping to survive.

However, if this isn't to your liking, there's a safer way - which in many instances can be the better way.

This approach is to always go a little bit beyond your comfort zone.

For example, let's say placing an ad makes you uncomfortable, because you've never done it before. In that case, go a little bit beyond your comfort zone. Start with a small, classified ad, for example. Something that's just a little bit uncomfortable.

Once you become comfortable with placing small classified ads - then go a little bit further. Place a small space ad (if you're advertising in magazines), for example. Or start advertising on search engines (such as Overture or Google). As long as you're always going a little bit beyond your "comfort zone".

If you keep pushing your boundaries, little by little, soon you'll find you're way out of what used to be your comfort zone - but you'll be quite comfortable there. Little by little, you've started doing new things - which in the past, may have "terrified" you (because of "fear of the unknown").

Make it a habit to keep pushing your boundaries, little by little, by always going a little bit beyond your comfort zone. If you do this, you could be very surprised how well things end up going for you!

- Dien Rice

Great post, Dien!

This is a constant struggle I have. I often find myself reaching a plateau in most of my entrepreneurial ventures, where it is MODERATELY successful, and COMFORTABLE.

So there I sit, unwilling to take the next step or push it further up hill.

Good advice on the step-by-step, inch-by-inch approach.

However, I'm also wondering... it also sounds like pulling a bandage off your arm s-l-o-w-l-y. Maybe it is better to just rip it all off at once?

Will be interested in others' thoughts on this.

Best Wishes,
Jim E




This project has been both comfortable & profitable, thankfully! : )

This "small steps" approach is recommended by some in Day Trading...

Instead of laying $10,000 on the line - after you have successfully paper traded for a while - only risk a few hundred dollars. Enough, so that whether you win or lose money, it will only be about $50.

The idea is to take your emotions out of the game. After all, what's $50? It won't break you like $10,000 will.

Problem is... it is still your hard earned money. Whether it's a few hundred which may make you $50, or your life's savings of $10,000.

And lo if your first few attempts with the smaller amounts of money should prove fruitless. Now you'll be even more concerned about your money - even though it is only a few hundred dollars.

ACT AS IF...

Be bold...

Trust in your system...

Easy to say. And what do I know? I've never day traded in my life.

I would rather cold call than day trade, at this moment in time. That's because I don't know how to day trade. Oh sure, I could call my broker and tell him to buy and sell and I'd be day trading.

But to me, that's like gambling in a game I don't know the rules of.

Anyway. Back to your post...

Same applies. What if my classified ad doesn't work? Then I'll be in a worse situation because now I will even fear small little classified ads.

Part of the problem is not in the spending of money on ads... it's the expectation we have of that ad.

Naturally, we want our tiny classified ad to produce full-time executive income levels and/or flood our business with orders.

And when it doesn't happen, we get discouraged. Blame the ad for not working and think we wasted our money.

And yet, if some slightly different thinking was applied, we would be overjoyed. We would see our little ad made us money. And thus, to make more money, we simply run more of the same ads in more of the same places.

Of course, the question begs... how do we take the first step? As even that first step is a step outside of our comfort zone.

That's like dipping your toes in the water. We can all do that, so there is no real problem there.

The problem is what comes after the toe dipping?

In business... and in The Multiple Streams of Income Report (get your own personal copy for free by sending a blank email to [email protected])... I advocate being self-funding. That is... the business or income stream can fund its own growth. Because then, you aren't bleeding other income sources to feed your new venture. And you stay in front.

Okay, so self-funding business growth is slower. So what? It's like a snow ball. It's the S Curve. Realise it and accept it. Long term and "safe" usurious rates of return are fiction.

But what will keep you going through all of this?

See The Success Report - http://www.sowpub.com/successreport.html - for your answer.

Michael Ross

Lot of truisms in your post Michael.

"Act as if!!!" A line I thoroughly enjoyed when hollered by Ben Affleck in the movie 'Boiler Room'. Definitely a must see if you're a 'Wall Street', 'Glenngarry Glenn Ross' fan.

Act as if!

Michael, you mention instead of risking $10,000.00 by investment, to only lay out a few hundred dollars. "Enough, so that whether you win or lose money, it will only be about $50."

One thing I have discovered is, it isn't the amount which is risked at the time. It is the amount you are losing by not having it out!

Typically when gaming and especially at Blackjack (21), I play by a set of parameters which I've set for myself. These include WHEN to walk away from a table in a losing situation as well as a winning situation.

Even though I am at a point where I do not desire to risk my winnings. I am thinking about the money which I am NOT winning! The amount I lay out per betting unit is immaterial. It is the risk/reward factor which keeps pulling me back.

By not running a classified ad, how much income would I be losing. By not making that extra few cold calls per day, how much income would I be losing. By not knocking on a few extra doors per week, will I still qualify for that luxury trip to the Bahamas for the top salesperson???

Successful winners, salespeople, investors, and entrepreneurs are not necessarily tied into the amount which they are risking. It is the amount they are losing by not risking.

A difficult concept to fully understand, unless you are afflicted with it.

I have had buddies go gambling with me, and leave the table. All I have to do is mention to them they are not saving their money. They are possibly losing money by not playing! And BANG! they are back in the seat next to mine!

Great concepts.

Success and Regards... Mike

http://www.CrashCourseMarketing.com
...fastest growing eZine for Sales
Professionals and Internet Marketers...

Dien,

Excellent, excellent advice!!!! I wonder why I get 'stuck' sometimes. Now I know why. I get 'too comfortable'.

It makes a lot of sense to me. I heard Gary Halbert talk about comfort zones a long time ago, and nearly forgot the whole idea, until you mentioned it again.

I have been looking for that 'way' to take my business to the next level and I think you've hit it right on the head. What risk am I NOT taking that could leap frog my success to the next level?

Dien...thanks for the reminder and excellent advice!

There are a lot of people who might read your post and assume it doesn't apply to them. But it doesn't matter how successful you are now, you could be even more successful in business and in LIFE by taking your advice.

Well done ;-)

-Dave


The #1 Web Letter For Digital Product Creators and Marketers

sometimes we fear being successful ... an example
.. if I get that big order .. now I have to do something and someone is depending on me to perform .. what happens if I screw up ? Isn't that the silliest thing you have ever heard .. the reason you got that order is because you did something ... step out of your skin and take a stare .. it's not as frightening as you might think .. all those baby steps outside your comfort zone add up very quickly ...

Get going ... Rick

Years ago when I had a salesforce of 7 people it was always amazing how each salesperson would reach a certain income level then STOP!

If the most a salesperson had made in his or her career was $25,000/yr ($500/wk)...that person had a "Mental Governor" in the psyche.

They'd go out a make $500 on their first 2 sales on Monday then goof off or do "paperwork" the rest of the week....almost as if they were AFRAID to make more money....which would take them "out of their comfort zone".

Thus...I tried an experiment;
I ran an ad for salespeople but, my ad said, "No Sales Experience Preferred!"

I started getting people who had hardly any "sales" experience BUT...they had experience doing something else and had made good money.

For example; One guy had made $80,000 as a Plant Foreman overseeing 30 employees. His "comfort level" was $1500 a week.

So...when this guy went out and made $500 his first day of the week....he kept going until he had $1500 or $2000 before he "slowed up".

So...whenever I interviewed salespeople I don't care if they had made $80,000/yr digging ditches, THEIR MIND WAS SET IN PLACE TO EARN $80,000.

Thus...I had one of the most successful businesses in my field because I was aware of the "Mind-Governor".

This is not to say that someone making $25,000/yr could not make $80,000/yr....a few did but...as a general rule if the most they had made prior to seeing me was $25,000/yr...chances were great that that's the most they'd make with me.

STrange.

Don Alm


Some of my Unique, money-making programs.

That is so interesting Don. Thanks for sharing this.