“Goal achievement requires personal change and it requires leaving our comfort zone” Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes 04/01/19
Broadly speaking, at any time during your career or work life you are likely to be in one of three zones: The Comfort Zone – in this zone you are comfortable, the tasks are familiar and there are no surprises. You feel confident in this zone and so it feels calm and ‘safe’ even. Effectively you are in ‘autopilot’. Whilst this zone is important when learning, to give you a space to reflect in, if you stay in this zone for too long you stop learning or developing. And the more you stay in this zone, the more likely you are to perceive new challenges as scary or beyond your capabilities and this zone ends up shrinking. This can lead to you feeling bored, unfulfilled or de-motivated in your work life. The Stretch Zone - this is the area just outside your comfort zone where you are trying new experiences or things you haven’t done before for short periods. In this zone you are stimulated as you are expanding your skills and experiences. It may not feel comfortable however you feel motivated to do it and engaged as you are learning. The Panic Zone – in this zone you are feeling out of your depth, stressed and overwhelmed. You are not learning as you are using all your energy to manage your feelings of anxiety. Sometimes you are pushed into the panic zone for short periods due to a crisis or sudden change in circumstances. However, staying in the panic zone for prolonged periods can lead to burn out therefore it is important to take steps to move back to your stretch zone. The ideal scenario is one where you are able to move into the learning zone for short periods where you are challenged, slowly expanding your comfort zone as you develop your skills and experiences whilst being able to return to your comfort zone regularly to reflect as you grow personally and professionally. Which zone are you in? Denise Kelly is a certified ILM Coach and Mentor & NLP Practitioner and founder of Focused Coaching. She works with business owners and driven professionals seeking to enhance their performance and achieve their career ambitions through 1:1 and small group coaching. For more info: https://www.focusedcoaching.co.uk or email her at denisekelly@focusedcoaching.co.uk
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AuthorDenise Kelly, Coach & Mentor Archives
August 2020
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