What Zone Are You In?
What Zone Are You In?
Understanding the 4 Zones of Your Life, Overcoming blocks, choosing new challenges, & pushing yourself to be your best
To say things are a little unsettled right now is an understatement. Most people are still working from home, with limited-to-no in-person contact with their co-workers and friends. We’re Zooming more than we want to, but our commutes have gotten a lot easier.
When all this started back in March, we thought it would all be over soon and life would return to normal before summer — we’ll that didn’t happen! So, we settled in, got comfortable with our “new norm” and pushed forward. For a time, we were outside our Comfort Zone, then redefined what comfort was during such a crazy time and jumped right back in! Though it’s strange, this new normal feels good to us now — kind of like a cozy blanket on a cold morning!
In all aspects of our lives, being in our comfort zone is safe and easy. It’s where we’re in control, and that’s exactly the way we like it. But being in our comfort zone actually means we’re stuck — it means we’ve resigned ourselves to the status quo, to be happy and content. We’ve stopped resisting the change to our normal and found new ways to make it easier to quarantine.
However, what lies outside our comfort zone, outside of your normal, day-to-day career, can take you on an amazing journey of growth and development! An adventure that could lead to life changing accomplishments, including new relationships, a new career, more income, more freedom, and more satisfaction. The idea of accessing new opportunities by stepping out of our comfort zone is great, but according to Forbes, 90% of us live inside our comfort zones — so why would we consciously choose to step into the unknown, or the Fear Zone?
Because the fear zone is exactly what it sounds like — it scares us! In this zone, we have a lack of self confidence, driven by the fact that the outcomes are unknown and require risk. We tend to find or make up excuses to get out of the fear zone, so we don’t subject ourselves to the judgement or the opinion of others (especially our social media friends and followers). Let’s face it — no matter who your followers are, they’re likely relentless in offering their unsolicited opinions, safely hidden behind their phone screens dealing out judgment. When people judge what you’re doing, it’s likely because they may not have a fulfilling life — I mean, if someone is really enjoying what they’re doing in life, it’s a lot easier to celebrate others’ successes and focus on the joy in the everyday.
But once you conquer the fear and kick it to the curb, you move THROUGH the fear and into the Learning Zone! A zone where so much is possible! This is the zone where you deal with your challenges and problems head-on by learning and adapting in real time. You’re learning and embracing new ideas and concepts. You're challenging yourself to acquire new skills, develop new (and better) habits. You're likely embracing new people, experts, and thought leaders with the objective to learn from them and make changes in your life.
In the learning zone, you’re reading more meaningful and purposeful books, listening to personal development focused podcasts or watching videos — all to help you learn, which leads to you becoming a better person and pushes you right into your Growth Zone.
And the Growth Zone is where the magic really happens. This is where you discover your purpose in your life and career and actually create steps to move forward. Being in this zone is where you’re stepping into your best self and living your dreams. Here, you are setting new, more challenging goals, that are pushing you to discover more about yourself and empowering you to higher accomplishments.
In this zone, you truly discover that you — yes, you — get to direct your life and career. You are in control, and you’re growing, you’re conquering your objectives, and you’re thriving! This is the zone that all of us really want to be in, but few of us actually take the time to get there — much less stay there.
Though being in the growth zone sounds like the place you really want to be, you can’t get there until you’ve passed through the other zones — including overcoming fear and answering some tough questions along the way. But the reality is, we can find ourselves in any of these zones at multiple times during the day — yes, we move back and forth as our days, week, months move forward and change.
So, which zone are you in right now?
If you’re going about your day as normal, doing the same thing over and over with nothing new and challenging — you’re in your Comfort Zone.
If you’re making excuses about why you don’t need to do something, finding ways to procrastinate, or letting other people’s opinion stop you from moving forward, you’re in the Fear Zone.
If you’re reading a new book, developing a new skill, or facing your problems and challenges head-on, you’re in the Learning Zone. Keep moving!
If you’re stepping into your best self, taking on new challenges and responsibilities, and pushing yourself to greatness — you’re in the Growth Zone, and you should keep pushing yourself forward.
You are the only person who really knows what zone you are in — and only you can discover what it is that you need to do to move forward, by asking yourself the tough questions, that force you to look inside for the answers. Remember, self reflection and self improvement will always be the hardest thing you do today!
Your success is inevitable! Your best life is waiting for you! Now is the time for you to get out of your comfort zone and step into it the person you were born to be. Be sure to join the conversation and let me know what you’re doing to define your life and career, by visiting my blog at www.sidmeadows.com/blog..