Playing Safe Is Dangerous

In my younger days I loved lifting weights. I idolised the top bodybuilders of the day, who were able to achieve superhuman physiques through pumping iron. I learned that in order to build muscle, you need to train your body just beyond the point of failure and then give it adequate nutrition and rest. By pushing your body past its comfort zone, your muscles respond and grow.

When I first entered the workforce and started my sales career, I realised that this principle held true for business as well. The more I pushed myself past my comfort zone, the more I grew as a professional and the better my results became. Just like in weight training, pushing ourselves past our comfort zone is where most personal and professional growth happens.

On the flipside, if we play it safe and only stay within our comfort zone, we don't progress. In today's world of massive change and disruption, if we don’t progress, we actually go backwards. The world is moving so fast around us, if we don't move with the change, we're going to be left behind.

With this logic, playing it safe and staying within your comfort zone is actually a dangerous place to be. Ironically, being bolder and taking risks may be the safest path in these times.

I'm interested in your thoughts: how are you challenging yourself to play outside your comfort zone?

Mark Windust is an influential Thought Leader in the areas of Sales Strategy, Sales Leadership and Sales Performance. Since launching his consulting practice in 2007, Mark has worked with 1000's of business leaders, salespeople and entrepreneurs’ to help them transform their sales results.