When I was 15 years old I worked in a shoe store. My boss at the time may not have been the most astute businessperson, but he gave me a piece of advice that I’ve never forgotten, and one that may be the only thing I've needed to know to get ahead in business.
“Keep doing what you’ve always done and you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got”.
That one phrase has stuck with me through the years, and has proved a reminder whenever I feel myself getting a little complacent, that if I’m not getting the results I want it’s most likely because I’m “doing what I’ve always done”, yet expecting more than “what I’ve always gotten”.
For those of you who want more from your business, or who want to startup your first business, think about this phrase. In my opinion in it lies the reason many people never obtain the level of success they want, or never take that all important first step to start the business they’ve always dreamed of.
It’s not only easy, but comfortable, doing what you’ve always done. Yet if your business isn’t growing at the rate you wish it would, or you just can’t seem to bring yourself to start your own business, think about if it’s because you’re currently doing what you’ve always done. I’d bet for a lot of you that is exactly the case.
Getting outside your comfort zone is something you will have to do often and consistently to make it as an entrepreneur. In fact, if you are ever going to get “comfortable” with something in your life, make it being outside your comfort zone.
Neil Patel recently said on his blog:
Learn to not be comfortable – staying inside of your comfort zone will stop you from experiencing new things. I know it gets scary when you get out of your comfort zone, so just take baby steps by doing something small every month that you would normally be terrified to do. After a few months, start doing bigger things until you learn to fully get out of your comfort zone.
And there couldn’t be more valuable advice to an entrepreneur, or would be entrepreneur. Consistently pushing yourself out of a comfort zone will lead to growth, in business, and as a person that will propel you towards success like no other tool or piece of advice I can offer you.
Quit being okay with doing what you’ve always done, and getting what you’ve always gotten. The magic happens on the fringe, so step out there and take a look around.
Photo credit: chelseagirl
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{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Totally agree. I recently changed jobs from a comfortable position I was in for over a year to an exciting position at a startup. It was risky, but already I have learned so much and am glad I made the move. It may be scary to change jobs or to start out on a new venture, but the payoff can be huge. And you always have to ask yourself: what’s the worst that can happen? So it doesn’t work out and you’re back at the drawing board – at least you know that you took advantage of a great opportunity that came your way.
Thanks for the post. You know, I was just talking to my good friend Lisa Steadman (an amazing author, relationship coach, and solo-preneur in her own right), and we were talking about the comfort zone thing. Lisa and I realized we both “suffer” from a split personality issue that many entrepreneurs likely share. It’s a battle between our BOLD, FEARLESS selves and that squeamish, sulking, other self.
Seems like whenever the cranky, complacent one looks the other way, the BOLD, FEARLESS personality makes all these plans, promises, and proclaimations. They’re all super ambitious, scary, and completely unreasonable to a normal person.
Then that comparatively lazy, ambivilant personality realizes what the other has done, and is forced to step up and fulfill the plans and promises, despite a raging resistence to the whole darn matter.
It’s a constant inner battle between these two personalities — the one who’d be fine doing what she’s always done, and the one who absolutely hails the message you write in your blog post.
The ultimate battle cry from that incorrigible BOLD, FEARLESS persona:
“REACH! GROW! LEAP! TAKE CHANCES! FAIL, FAIL, AND TRY AGAIN! EXPERIMENT! And most importantly…GET OUT OF THAT DANG COMFORT ZONE!!!”
Sometimes she’s exausting, but for the most part, Lisa and I agreed we’re VERY lucky to have her on our team, or we’d never get anywhere.
Happy blogging, tweeting, and all else,
Lani Voivod
“A-Ha Yourself!”
http://www.AhaYourself.com
Complacency is the enemy.
I once got told that the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over yet expecting a different result. We need to continually be changing the way we do things, tweaking and working so that we are always moving forward.
@Erin Bury
Totally agree with your comments. In my opinion getting comfortable takes that edge away that you really need in order to keep moving forward. Something has to be driving you, or you can get stagnant.
Matt
@Lani
GET OUT OF THAT DANG COMFORT ZONE!!!”
Couldn’t have said it better myself =)
Matt
@Alma
You got that right!
Matt
@Tom
Funny you bring that saying up, I was almost going to include it in this post.
Matt
hey Matt,
Awesome post title…
Let me say that again, awesome post title.
Also, great advice, and I have learned the benefits of going outside of one’s comfort zone, but it’s tough!
Finally, I think I’ve said this before, but the images you pick for your posts are great. On this one though, I clicked the photo credit at the bottom of the post and it is a broken link. ;(
~ Steve, Pinnacle Trade Show Displays
PS. Anytime I hear about “working in a shoe store”, I think of Al Bundy in Married With Children. Did you ever see that sitcom?
@Steve-
Thanks, but what did you think of the post title?
I loved Married w/ Children, even if my friends heckled me about being an Al Bundy!
Matt
Great article about coming out of the comfort zone! Sooo true and to one of your commenters, sooo scary!
I recently wrote an article on my blog “What Every Successful Sales Person Knows” It’s about thinking of yourself as a CEO.
I think sort of a great segway to coming out of your comfort zone! If we all steped out of our comfort zones and thought ofseoves as our own CEO’s we could really shake up the business world! Cheers!
@Jill
Reminds me of a saying I used to hear in the corporate world “Dress for the job you want, not the job you have”. Goes along the same lines as thinking like a CEO, and pushing yourself to be better and reach higher.
Matt
So true. We’re all guilty on not wanting to move out of our comfort zone.
“Keep doing what you’ve always done and you’ll keep getting what you’ve always got”
i’ll add it to my list-
“we do the things that are hard; we achieve the things that are great”
“rome wasn’t built in a suit”