Category : Articles

Sub Category : Motivation

Have you ever thought of an idea or a plan but are too afraid to follow through with it? You are afraid to take that step into the unknown because doing that would mean getting out of your comfort zone. Deep down, you want to take that step. You want to make a change and try something different, something new and something that's unfamiliar to you. But, you stall and keep stalling because you are afraid to leave your safety net. 
I was talking to someone not too long ago about making changes. We spoke in great lengths about the matter and he came clean to me saying that he desperately wants to make some changes in his life. 
"So why don't you?" I asked him.
"I'm afraid to," he replied.
See, he has been letting this idea about making changes in his life sit idle in his head for so long because he felt he wasn't ready to execute the idea. But as time went on and he saw other people around him progressing and moving forward in their life, he realized that he has remained rooted and stagnant in the same spot he has been for as long as he can remember. 
I asked him, "What exactly are you waiting for? The right time? When is that exactly? When you are completely ready? When will that be?" 
There is no such thing as being completely ready. Truth is, he is never going to feel like he has got everything sorted and all figured out. Clinging onto his safety net for dear life and not wanting to cross over the threshold of his comfort zone is not going to get him anywhere near to the change he had in mind for his life. What he is and has been doing to himself is hold himself back from moving forward and discovering his potentials. His refusal to get out of his comfort zone has stunted his growth. 
Yes, it is good to have a sense of security in a familiar surrounding where he knows exactly what is in that bubble. But a bubble is a bubble. Is he content with just living inside that bubble for the rest of his life? 
Babies live in their mother's womb which, if you think about it, is kind off like a bubble. But does the baby stay in that bubble for the rest of his life? No. After living comfortably in the safety net of his mother's womb for 9 months and 10 days, the baby is brought out of his comfort zone into a world that is unknown to him. A baby has no idea what to expect in this new world but he learns to adapt. With the help of his parents and caretakers in his early stages of life, he learns new things each day. He progresses and he grows. He does not remain stagnant. 
So back to the person I was talking to.... what the hell is he waiting for? 
All he needs to do is commit himself. No more stalling. Take one step at a time, one breath at a time. Kick off all the bad habits that has been holding him back - the doubt, the insecurity and the fear. All those things are there because he allows them to be there. He makes room in his life to accommodate them. Why waste space on such negativity? Clear the room. Do a major spring cleaning. Let the sunlight in. 
At the end of the day, we need to believe in ourself. Others may believe in us, in our potential and capabilities but if we don't have the same faith in ourself, nothing is going to come out of it.
To change, he has to be willing to make changes. He needs to be comfortable at being uncomfortable. He needs to dig deep and ask himself how badly he wants this - growth and progress. If he truly wants it bad enough and not be left behind, he needs to continue digging everyday. Consistently. 
The idea of change has already been planted in his brain for a long time. Whether that idea sits and continues to fester in his brain as just an idea and nothing more, that is entirely up to him. At the end of the day, the ball is in his court and the power to choose is in his hands. 
No doubt, to leave his comfort zone and to step into the unknown is intimidating. The uncertainty of not knowing what to expect can be worrisome. But hey, if he doesn't pull his shit together and step up, he's going to forever remain stagnant. And without growth, without progress, what's the value of life?