Comfort zones. They’re there to keep us safe. Our mind wants to protect us from injury and death, and the comfort zone is where the mind is happy because we’re wrapped in metaphorical bubble wrap. Unfortunately, nothing great comes from the comfort zone.

Think about it, did any of the great explorers let their mind get in the way when heading off into unchartered territories? No. I bet they still had concerns and bad days, but they wouldn’t let those stop them.

And how about top sports people? They know they can fail. They know their mind is what stands between them and success (they’ve done the physical training, their coach is happy they’ve got it) – what do they do? Work with sports psychologists to make sure the comfort zone gremlin doesn’t stop them.

So, where’s your “safe”? Does your comfort zone keep you on the sofa? Does it keep you doing the same routines every day, week, month? Does the gremlin not like the idea of you changing and getting stronger and bolder? The gremlin tends not to like that.

My personal gremlin likes to remind me from time to time that I am a non-sporty, I wasn’t in the school teams, why do I think I can be a PT and advise other people on being active. My gremlin has been SHOUTED at on long bike rides (never when other people have been around to witness my unique levels of crazy!). My gremlin keeps me constantly looking for the next activity I can do, so I can prove it wrong.

This drive to get away from the comfort zone has seen me sign up to triathlons and other challenges that scare me. It’s also seen me work in different countries and take on projects others might not. Currently the gremlin is trying to work out how to tell me I can’t do weight lifting.  So far it hasn’t managed to find a way to keep me “safe”, but I’m sure it’ll try! It always does.

Your comfort zone escape doesn’t need to be as extreme. It might be a few small changes in your daily routine so that moving and being active become part of life. And once they’re part of life, who knows what might be on the horizon… Dare to think big…. Go on.

Drop me a reply below with what your gremlin wants to stop you doing, and what you’re doing to overcome it. And let me know what you’d love to do if you dared think big…

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