002| Taking That First Step
Fighting Discomfort.
Hey Friends,
I had a realisation earlier this week and thought it would be best to share it with my viewers.
For any human being, there is always the urge to improve themselves and to start doing something new. Whether it be:
Deciding to start that business side hustle
Hitting the gym to get that dream physique
Cleaning up that filthy garage
We always have a boatload of ideas sitting stagnant in our minds ready to be executed. Then what is stopping us from reaching the goals and objectives set in our minds?
When confronting most people with these questions, I often get answers that go something like this:
“I don’t have the time for it”, “I have some tasks from work I have to complete”, "It’s not my top priority right now” and other abysmal reasons.
These answers are rather the excuses people give themselves when attempting to start something new. In reality, they’re just covering up the main conflict in their minds which is taking a step out of their comfort zone.
What is this “Comfort Zone” you speak about?
Wherever you’re in life right now is attributable to the comfort zone that you tolerate.
A comfort zone is a psychological state in which things feel familiar to a person and they are at ease and in control of their environment.
The activities inside the comfort zone are easy for you to do and there is little to no mental resistance. Initially, one would think that having the opportunity to lay back and not put on much mental strain is remarkable. The idea of just relaxing throughout your days and not worrying about any future events is the life most people dream about. However, what this group does not realize are the detrimental effects on your physical and mental health.
Let’s visualize this for a better understanding.
Suppose it was my goal to complete a 3k run all 7 days of the week. My current state is outside my comfort zone, illustrated by the picture below:
At first, this task would sit outside of my comfort zone but not completely out of reach. However, this is subject to change as the days and weeks pass.
As I persevere and battle through the initial days of fatigue and exhaustion, I start getting the hang of this running thing and even look forward to it someday.
There has been a clear displacement for our “running task” as it is now sitting closely within the reach of our comfort zone. As the days went on and the hardships were overcome, running the 3k every day does not have the same daunting effect as it did before.
So what happened?
When you take that first step to perform the task that may seem difficult, not only have you created a path for success, but you’re slowly enlarging your comfort zone to reap future benefits. I took that first step, got out of the house and completed the series of runs day-by-day. Even if I was hurting, drained off all my energy and power, I persisted knowing that this is my bodies acknowledging growth.
Now, where does that leave you?
Once you really grasp the idea of the comfort zone and what information it holds for you, you’re now completely limitless. All the tasks and goals that you have are now in clear view and you know what it takes to achieve them.
Figure out the person you want to be, the kind of traits you want to adopt, the skills you wish to obtain and make decisions based off of that. Using the knowledge of the comfort zone, be aware of the fact that barriers are only there when you set them. As you start to adopt this lifestyle that may, at first, feel unnatural to you, the longer you live that way, the comfort zone does its job and expands to meet you.
When you no longer let the starting discomfort influence have a say in making any of your decisions, the potential for what you can do with your life expands at rates you can only dream about.
I hope you stuck in till the end to take advantage of what you learnt at the highest degree. These are the types of post my fellow readers should expect when you see that email sign light up with my name.
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Today’s Quote 🎯
We are alone. Live our lives, lacking anything better to do. Devise reason later.
Today’s Picture 🖼️
Today’s Recommendation 📤
Dissatisfaction and Aspiration - Ali Abdaal & Taimur Abdaal
They take a deep dive discussing an insight Ali had about the nature of dissatisfaction and its connection with setting an overly high standard. Anyone always doubting themself or having constant dissatisfaction please check this out.
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That’s all for now — be safe, be happy!
Ayaan.
Amazing read! Your insight on this topic inspired me to strive for my goals, despite the intimidation and fear I have of stepping out of my comfort zone. Can't wait for more motivational content.