You read it right the first time. Yasssz, I SAID jump out. No I did NOT say step out. Step out of your comfort zone is so 2000. The first time I heard the phrase “ jump out of your comfort zone,” was when I heard from my favorite influencer, Lisa Nichols, CEO of Motivating the Massive. Lisa is an A-mazing Transformational Coach and Speaker and she said it when she was being interviewed by Tom Bilyeu. The interview can be found on YouTube by typing Lisa Nichols on Rescuing Yourself, Overcoming Fear, and Finding Success By Serving Others.
Her inspiring words couldn’t be more true. We all know that success is on the other side/edge of your comfort zone but how about you decide how you choose to get there? Will you inch, boldly step or eagerly jump out of your comfort zone? And know that this doesn’t just apply towards one thing in your life.
Shifting
This mindset and unwavering desire to take massive action, applies to all aspects of your life. Being able to push past your fear into the unknown with less doubt about yourself and more hope and faith that if you fall, you won’t die but rather grow, is a bada$$ mindset to make anyone unstoppable if, first they believe it, and then second, they show it through their actions for ANYTHING they want in their life.
Mindset shifting is a choice to make a change in your thinking. Many have a change for a minute while fewer than desired have a change for a lifetime. I’m talking about those who choose the latter. Shifting to a positive, confident, risk taking, cup half full, and abundance not scarcity (I could go on but I’ll stop right here) mindset, is the opposite one from what once was, and the new mindset can create great change in your world because of how the new you (your way of thinking) sees yourself in it.
My “jump out of my comfort zone” mindset shift first began when I was about to finish undergraduate at Northeastern University and I had to decide whether I stay in my hometown of Boston or move somewhere else and start fresh. I thought “if I don’t move now, I never will and I’ll be stuck here.”
I had been interviewing for jobs in Boston that wouldn’t have paid me anymore than the full-time job I was working while I was finishing my degree full-time at night. Of course I was like “oh hell naw, I didn’t work this hard to get my degree to get a job paying me like I didn’t get it (degree).” One night I couldn’t sleep because my brain wouldn’t shut off. You know what I’m talking about. It was that night that I made the decision to just move away; even if I didn’t have a job. OMG, that was the most risk taking/bold move I’d ever made and I was 23 at the time.
I later made other moves like trying out to be a Baltimore Ravens Cheerleader once I did move away to Baltimore, Maryland, deciding to get my advanced degree at night, once again, while working full time during the day (we’ll I guess that wasn’t too risky since I had done it once but a graduate degree and a completely different and demanding job is different so it still counts), deciding to pursue my own business and residual income building while, back then, still married with young children and an even more demanding job, deciding to pursue my coaching degree, and starting my coaching practice and then deciding to become a private pilot and get my license (still in progress).
Yes, for me these where all jump outside of your comfort zone moves at the time even though from the outside looking in, they all looked similar. I was building my confidence in myself muscle at the same time which had a compounding effect on my mindset. One that had shifted and kept shifting with every choice I made. I later learned that it shifted again to one that wasn’t just about academia and career stuff.
I always want more adventure in my life. And so, let’s start with saying yes to the what even if you don’t know the how yet, and then go from there.
Tip #1
Say Yes To “the What,” Now, Then Figure Out “the How,” Later. Decide what you want and why you want it. Specifically,
What are you saying yes to yourself?
Why is this important to you?
It’s important that you answer these two self-coaching questions first so that you mentally commit (yes). Your “what” (that what you are saying yes to for yourself) is tied to your “why.”
And your “why” has to be strong enough (BIG Why or MOFA (Motivating Factor) so that you then work to figure out the “how” so that follow through happens. Focus on not overthinking before saying yes (I know, that is scary). However, trust that if you overthink and you’re not naturally a “risk-taker” of any kind (sometimes simply trying anything new is considered risky for some who never do it), you’ll come up with negative outcomes (project) or excuses to talk yourself out of doing it.
Tip #2
Try and notice (catch yourself) the next time you are overthinking and just say to yourself “overthinking” and then let it (thoughts) go. Treat it like a passing cloud; notice, acknowledge and then let it float away. Think, I’m excited when you start to feel a sense of anxiety or nervousness about saying yes to something new.
We are used to being nervous which sometimes gets in the way of our growth because it can come from thinking you’re going to have a negative experience. Did you know that your body reacts the same way to being excited as it does to being nervous due to your autocratic nervous system (ANS), your fight or flight (stress) verses your rest (relaxed) response?
So if they are similar, why not just change the way you think about the situation so that you go from a fight, flight or freeze response to one that is more relaxed/less stress and more excited.
Tip #3
Try saying “I’m excited” out loud but to yourself several times before you’re about to do/say something that is making you nervous and then see what kind of experience you have.
The first self reflection is to actually have the experience.
Determine what information/resources/people you are going to need to help you follow through on your commitment (what you said yes to for yourself and why (your BIG Why/Motivating Factor)).
Network/speak to others who are doing/have done what you want to do and ask the questions to listen to learn and build confidence in your ability to follow through because of the advice/tools/additional resources you will gain. Find someone who you highly respect, trust and know makes things happen.
Tell them what you have committed to (said yes to and why) and ask them to be your accountability partner. An accountability partner is just what it sounds like; someone who will hold you accountable to what you said you will do. They will stay on you, as you want them to, so that you follow through on your commitment. Think of an accountability partner as a condition you set up so that follow through happens.
Tip #4
Experience adventure (new things) to inspire you and others. Brain dump (just write everything that comes to mind) every adventure you’ve had in your life to date and see how many things you write down. Then, recall the memories/experiences and how they made you feel.
Then, brain dump everything you have not done but want to do and turn into your Queen/King list. Once you write them down, ask yourself, "what else," to make sure you feel satisfied with your list (call it your Queen/King list- bucket list has already been taken).
This is all about taking your sense of exploration/discovery/adventure to the next level by thinking how you can level up your experiences so that you can not only live your best next chapter but also so that you share them and inspire others to live more!!!!
Write down when you will experience each item on your list. What month and in what year? This gets to building your goals (what by when).
Double Tip: Make the first time bound goal due within a month of setting the goal so that you don’t sit on the goals too long without taking massive action. You want to take action right away or as soon as you possibly can so pick an experience item that is easy for you to do within a month and build and maintain your moment from that first goal/action that you complete.
Trust me, you’ll be eager to move to the next goal so time bound them with a mindset of urgency/massive action. Digitally journal every experience by taking lots of pictures. This is part of not only retaining your memories that you’ll never lose, but also your motivation to keep going.
I'm very excited for you to jump out of your comfort zone, one experience or better yet, adventure, at a time!
If anything I've shared resonated with you or you have blog topic recommendations, I welcome you to leave a comment below.
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