If you’re feeling stagnant, unmotivated, and like your life isn’t going anywhere, you could be spending a little too much time in your comfort zone.

Taking calculated risks and putting yourself out there is key to a fulfilling life. Here, we’re explaining the dangers of the comfort zone and how you can break free. 

No One is Fearless

The people you admire most aren’t actually fearless. They’re courageous in the face of their fears and that’s what sets them apart.

True growth comes from facing your fears and stepping outside your comfort zone. So, instead of presuming someone simply has no fears, it’s important to think of growth as something that happens when you take a risk despite everything you have to fear.

Your fears are often valid. However, it can be even more dangerous not to face them.

Dangers of Staying in Your Comfort Zone 

The dangers of staying in your comfort zone are numerous. They include:

• Unreached potential
• Stagnation
• Unhappiness
• Laziness 

When you stay in your comfort zone, you’re not actually living your life. Truly living means taking risks, doing things that make you uncomfortable, and gaining confidence by knowing that you can manage difficult tasks. 

Focus on What You Can Control

So, why do so many of us prefer our comfort zones? Well, the short answer is that it’s, well... comfortable. We like it when things are comfortable. The thing is, to find meaning in life, we MUST do things that make us uncomfortable.

As human beings, we’re wired to learn from our mistakes. We find meaning in our struggles. After all, if something isn’t challenging, there’s usually not much of a reason to do it.

Think about the last time you felt truly accomplished, truly proud of yourself. It probably wasn’t for doing something that made you feel comfortable. You’re most proud of the hard things you’ve done, right?

Be someone that you can truly be proud of. It’s all up to you. And how do we do that? By focusing on what we can control - and nothing else.

It takes a bit of wisdom to know the difference between what’s in our control and what’s not. But, a simple way to think of it is to understand that you can really only control your thoughts and your actions.

We can’t control other people, the weather, or even our own bodies at times. But we can control our thought patterns and our actions. So, what will you choose to think and do today?

What You Can Learn from a Willingness to Fail

We get it. Stepping out of your comfort zone is terrifying. It’s supposed to be. That’s what makes it worth it! So, let’s talk about some of the benefits and things you can learn from adopting a willingness to fail by getting out of your comfort zone.

First, you’ll be far more likely to discover the real you. When you take risks, you’re gaining experience. You’re learning how you handle conflict and how you deal with setbacks. These are incredibly valuable lessons that you can’t learn from a book and they create your true character.

And, perhaps the most important thing you can learn from accepting a willingness to fail is that success is only possible through failure. No one ever succeeded without failing way more often first. Failure is part of the process. Trust that and you could learn what real success feels like.

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Whether you’re just starting out on your fitness journey or you’re launching your own business, it’s absolutely necessary that you get out of your comfort zone. After all, you’d probably agree that the dangers of the comfort zone far outweigh the dangers of taking a risk.