The Assasin Disguised as a Friend

Who's the assassin disguised as a friend? It's your comfort zone. Your comfort zone wants you dead as fast as possible. Overly strong statement? Maybe, but I think it's more accurate than we would like to think. Our comfort zone is nothing more than a set of fears that bind us.

Those fears use a familiar soothing voice and promise rest and protection, but kill initiative and enjoyment (Oh, my! What if it doesn't work? What if they say no!). Fear seeks to paralyze us and keep us down (I better not try that new idea, I might make a mistake and look foolish.)

Every I watch a client breakout of their comfort zone, I see fear confronted, action taken and excitement - sometimes a little terror, but never boredom. Instead of "selling the problem" (I can't because of this or it won't work because of that) they are buying into the solution. Fear of hard work and disappears and enthusiasm takes it's place.

So many choose to be slowly embalmed, giving increasingly well crafted excuses and rationalizations for why their problems need to be and defend the fears that want them dead.

I want to commend everyone fighting the good fight, especially Jerry Dreessen who said "When I met Noel Lloyd I said good-bye to my comfort zone and I haven't seen it since."

How did you feel after that first parachute or bungee jump, after that steep drop on your snow board or standing up in front of that large group and giving your first persuasion lecture?

You felt excited. Not everything needed to go perfectly (except the skydiving) in order for it to be a success. You had living proof that you looked fear right in the face and fear blinked - not you! YES! Give me a high-five! Do you feel it? Now think about living your whole life this way. Instead of running from one hiding place to another you team up with others heading the same direction and together conquer fear and boredom.