It's natural for most people to feel comfortable and at ease within their own Comfort Zone because people prefer to do what they are familiar with and feel safe doing. When change occurs, it can lead to feelings of anxiety or discomfort, regardless of whether the change is for the better or not.

However, choosing to remain solely within our Comfort Zone may not always be beneficial.
 
When we stick to areas where we feel safe and only engage in familiar activities, we risk missing out on learning opportunities. Often, this can hold us back from growth as well.
 
Here are five suggestions that I believe can help individuals step out of their Comfort Zone.

1. Start talking to people outside your department.

In large organizations, each department works distinctly, and there are few opportunities for employees to converse with those outside their own department. This can lead to challenges when coordinating across departments, as there may be a lack of understanding about how other departments operate or what they are currently working on.
 
Initiating conversations with colleagues from other departments not only improves inter-departmental collaboration but also helps reduce silos within the organization (Silo - working in a way where departments do not share or divide information).
 
Think about it... when was the last time you spoke with someone from a different department?

2. Present or speak in front of others.

Just the thought of speaking in front of an audience can cause anxiety for many people, leading them to avoid public speaking altogether because they feel more comfortable not being the center of attention.
 
However, we often hear that individuals with strong presentation skills or public speaking abilities have a significant advantage in career advancement and are more likely to be promoted.
 
A report from mba.com, published in 2018, surveyed over 1,000 companies hiring from business colleges in the U.S. to identify the skills they value most. Here are the top five skills they ranked:

  1. Verbal communication skills
  2. Listening skills
  3. Adaptability
  4. Written communication skills
  5. Presentation skills

As you can see, speaking ranks first and presenting ranks fifth. Therefore, regardless of your field, these skills are essential for everyone to practice and improve.
 
Advice from Warren Buffett
 
Back in 2009, while Warren Buffett was offering advice to business students at Columbia University, he said:
 
"I will pay you $100,000 for 10% of your future earnings. So if you're interested, come see me after class."
 
The students laughed at his humorous offer, but once the laughter subsided, he continued seriously:
 
"You can increase your value by 50% right now by learning communication and public speaking skills. If that's the case, come see me after class, and I will pay you $150,000."
 
The key point Warren Buffett wanted to convey is that communication and public speaking skills are crucial for elevating your career.

3. Learn things outside your field.

Becoming an expert in your area of expertise is great, but today, organizations are looking for individuals with T-shaped knowledge: deep expertise in one area while also having a broad understanding of other topics that may not be directly related to their profession.
 
The more knowledge we have, the more we can create ideas or combine different elements into new concepts.
 
Nowadays, there are many ways to learn new things, from easy, affordable, and accessible options like reading books, taking online courses, attending workshops or seminars, to joining groups or various activities.

4. Volunteer for challenging tasks.

Often, when faced with challenging work offers, most people tend to decline because they feel comfortable in their current situation. They worry that if they take on a difficult task and fail, it will only lead to embarrassment. Thus, avoiding tough assignments and choosing to stay in a safe space seems like a reasonable choice, right?
 
However, the truth is that those who dare to take on challenging tasks are more likely to grow than others. We can see that many prominent leaders or executives are often recognized for rescuing their companies from crises.
 
Even if we may feel apprehensive about accepting a tough assignment, sometimes what the person assigning the task wants from you may not even be the success of that task (as some tasks are genuinely difficult and success is a bonus, while failure is a learning experience). They may simply want to see your effort and dedication in tackling the assigned work.

5. Start managing your finances.

In 2010, the Office of Statistics revealed that over 97% of Thais do not have enough money to live on after retirement and have high household debt.
 
If you already manage your finances well, this may not be an issue. But for those who have never done so, I recommend starting with a simple income and expense budget before gradually moving on to investments. Because if we don't plan to control our finances, eventually, money will control us instead. I believe that while managing finances may not seem like stepping out of a Comfort Zone that some choose to do or not, it is something everyone should do.

The next time you feel the need to do something outside your Comfort Zone, before turning away and rejecting it, I encourage you to reflect carefully on whether this is an opportunity for growth. If the answer is yes, why not give it a try?

As John C. Maxwell once said, "If we are growing, we are always outside our comfort zone."

SOURCE : www.krungsri.com