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“The Road Less Taken”: Moving From Your Comfort Zone To Growth Zone

Chart your trajectory to success!

By Keren DinkinPublished 2 years ago 6 min read
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“The Road Less Taken”: Moving From Your Comfort Zone To Growth Zone
Photo by name_ gravity on Unsplash

Only a few dare choose it, but the road less taken proves to be worth the lonely journey. It doesn’t appeal to many because people are generally biased to what’s familiar. They view unknown territories as tight spots and see old, beaten paths as the safe and sensible way to get from point A to B.

But there, on that less taken path, lie opportunities waiting to be discovered that reveal more about who you are and what you are capable of. It’s a fertile ground for growth.

Why, then, are individuals hesitant to take it?

Aversion For The Unknown, Reluctance To Risks

Not knowing what lies ahead causes most people to shy away from the unknown. And so they continue treading the road they’re accustomed to. When at a crossroads, many tend to go the conventional route, finding more comfort in being part of the crowd than charting new routes or creating a new trail.

This preference for assured outcomes means not taking chances, which can raise psychological distress. People’s locus of control—the extent of command over circumstances—plays a role in their choice to stay on the familiar route. Change disrupts things, and they normally dislike the feeling of being at the mercy of the hands of fate.

Unknown to them, taking the road less traveled is far from being fatalistic. It is, in fact, a conscious decision to break away from the usual and willfully become what that road requires you to be. There you are forced to stretch your strengths and find your true grit, which is the catalyst for growth.

Whether in your personal or professional life, staying at the safe shore will only limit you.

The world is a vast ocean waiting for you to navigate like a skillful sailor setting sail for new frontiers, gaining new perspectives, and expanding your world. As someone wise once said — the road less traveled will not be smooth. But then again, great things never came from comfort.

The power to unleash your potential cannot be unearthed in comfort zones. Fearing and avoiding uncomfortable changes will not strengthen your muscles. Instead, you’ll stagnate and atrophy until your safe little corner traps and paralyzes you.

The Growth Zone Is Where You Should Be

Seeds are buried under the dark soil because it is the fertile ground that causes them to grow. Sure, there may be growing pains but struggles teach you things that comfort never will. Moving out of your comfort zone will help you:

Discover Previously Untapped Abilities

You are in a place where you have no choice but to give it everything you’ve got to survive and sustain your journey forward. Your success is waiting to happen if you channel and maximize your potential.

Overcome Your Fears

When you’re forced to do things on your own, you become less dependent on others. Then you learn to stare challenges in the eye and step up to overcome them. This boosts your confidence and enables you to fight future battles with greater grit.

Gain A Fresh Perspective

It’s a whole new scenery out there as you walk the road less taken. Seeing something you may not have before allows you to view things differently. A broader perspective improves your understanding and tolerance and helps you have a more fulfilling life.

Be More Creative And Resourceful

When faced with new situations or challenges, your mind is forced to think creatively and invent new ways to do things as a survival response. This catalyzes growth in your life. Learning something new means you are making progress, not being stuck in a rut.

How To Enter the Growth Zone

Staying in one’s comfort zone is cozy, but if you linger there too long, you could miss the bus to growth and self-development.

Is your spirit willing but your feet too shaky to take that step? Below are some tips to get you moving to your growth zone with less anxiety and more anticipation.

Have A Clear Vision Of Your Future

Often, people are just going through the motions because they don’t have a distinct picture of the future they want. Sometimes, they don’t move beyond their small pond because they’re on top of the game there. And that’s how they overlook what’s on the other side.

In business, it’s equivalent to missed market opportunities, a grave mistake for those wanting to scale. Opportunities don’t come knocking twice, and being shortsighted can result in missing the shot at setting new records or delivering better.

Where do you see yourself five or ten years from now? Given your current status and pace, how do you get to that point? You may have one goal, but there are various ways to achieve it. Summon the guts to break away from comfort zones and want it bad enough to make it worth the extra ounce of courage.

Take career-advancement studies while working. It might be a financial risk but could also expedite your growth. Invest your resources to pursue an extra income stream. That may sound risky but could just be the floodgate that opens up future financial security. Be willing to adapt to new circumstances that come your way.

Be Anchored By Your Purpose

Now that you’ve come to grips with the how, it’s time to ask yourself why you are moving in that direction. Go back to your sense of purpose, and you will gain a better outlook.

Do you wish to help others through your business? Inspire mothers to raise their little ones right? Or start a healthy lifestyle movement among urban workers? Let that impetus resonate with your soul and align with your journey. Then you will have the boldness to fulfill it.

With a strong sense of purpose as your true north, you will find the courage to take the road less traveled. And being on a path that causes you to draw on your untapped strengths will create a better version of you.

Gain Insights For The Travel

While life often doesn’t come with roadmaps and signs, you can take a cue from those who have been there, done that. Each individual’s journey is unique, but other people’s experiences provide insights into the off-beat path they took, the hurdles they overcame, and how they reached their potential and pursued their growth.

Take steps with wisdom so you will know how to respond to uncertainties as they come and use them to propel you forward. Be willing and wise to adapt when situations call for it.

Travel Light

Leave unnecessary baggage behind. An exaggerated sense of fear will do you no good, and pessimism could dampen your spirit. On the other hand, overconfidence could also put you in jeopardy and ruin your direction.

Get started on your journey with the right sense of balance and a strong grasp of your destination. Enjoy it while imbibing the nuggets of wisdom you find along the way.

Ignore naysayers who keep you from discovering your true capabilities. Their negative voices will only weigh you down.

Are You There Yet?

Keep moving and keep growing. Your pace and path are yours alone. Avoid dwelling on what-ifs and focus on what is and what will be. Trade the good with the best, and don’t let the comfort of your status quo limit your possibilities.

Your growth zone is waiting. Reach out for it!

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About the Creator

Keren Dinkin

| Qualified copywriter with seven years of work experience |

When I'm not at my desk whipping up compelling narratives and sipping on endless cups of coffee, you can find me curled up with a book!

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