Your Comfort Zone
If you want to make a change, you must be willing to get out of your comfort zone. Sounds cliche, but it is real. You will know you are outside of your comfort zone when you feel a twinge of panic, your heart rate sharply rises, you break into a drop sweat, and you feel nervous. Embrace it. Or if you can’t do that, at least don’t run from it.
Working with a personal trainer for the first time can make you feel this way. The same goes for hiring a nutrition coach. If you can’t lose weight on your own and keep it off, or if how you lost weight in the past no longer works for you, then to be successful, you need to get some help.
Getting out of your comfort zone reminds me of a story called “The Black Door”.
The Black Door
A Persian General has the enemy spy placed against the wall as the firing squad takes aim and readies themselves to shoot upon the given order.
He slowly walks up to the spy and says, “I’m going to give you a choice about your fate. You can take the firing squad that is ready to carry out your sentence, or you can take what waits for you behind that Black Door.”
The spy asks, “What is behind the Black Door?”
The General replies, “I can’t tell you. It is your choice.”
The spy starts to imagine the possibilities of a long and painful death. Perhaps there are tigers on the other side of the door that will tear him to shreds. Perhaps it will be snakes or another frightening death.
After some contemplation, he confirms to the General that he is ready to take the quick and simple method of execution by the firing squad. The execution is carried out swiftly.
Afterward, a young corporal who had been watching, walks up to the General and asks, “What is behind the black door?”
The General replies, “It’s Freedom. But no one has ever chosen it. It seems that most people choose a death that they are familiar and more comfortable with than to risk the unknown.”
What does a Persian General and a spy have to do with you?
Think back to the first time you lifted a dumbbell, held the TRX handles and balanced on one leg, or performed a box jump. How did you feel? What were you thinking?
Now fast forward to after you put the dumbbell back down, after you finished the TRX lunge, and after you successfully completed a box jump. How did you feel? What were you thinking?
Remember that feeling and remember those thoughts the next time you find yourself being pushed out of your comfort zone. You can do it, if you just try.
