leave the comfort zone they said

A few months ago, I had this dilemma. Whether to take a step out from the comfort zone that I had always known and take a dive into the unknown. A lot of people told me that it would be for the better, that the possibilities that I could achieve are limitless and that it is a good choice because one could never attain great things if one only dwells in a set way.

But what they failed to mention was the fine prints, that while there's a possibility of getting more than you imagined if you choose to step out of your comfort zone, there's an equal possibility of you failing and getting into really deep trouble too should you venture into the unknown.

A comfort zone is called a comfort zone because it's safe, you know what you're dealing with, you know the risks and if anything bad happens, it would not be out of your abilities to deal with it because it's your zone, you know everything about it. Venturing outside of your comfort zone is like going in to the Forbidden Forest in Harry Potter, it's like stepping out of your well lit house in Minecraft. Sure it's exciting and new, but you'll never know when a giant spider will attack you or when a creeper will explode right in your face.

I took a step out of my comfort zone a few months ago, and now, I really wished I had not. You see, I realized that while doing something completely new can be rewarding sometimes, there's a lot of factors involved. I'm not saying that one should not strive to be something greater, I'm just saying that there's a lot of considerations that you need to think of before taking the dive so that you won't run the risk of killing yourself. 

I guess I'm at the freakout zone right now

For one you need to be sure of your abilities, whether you're prepared to deal with more than you can handle. I mean you cannot possibly ask a computer engineer who has been working mostly alone to suddenly host a 1000 people party right? The skill set is completely different. Sure, the engineer might discover that he has a hidden talent, but what are the chances? A radio deejay for example, who have a higher chance of succeeding than the engineer in the situation.

Second, an escape option should always be available. If you find out that what you jumped into is not what you wanted, it's always good to leave quickly rather than slowly killing yourself inside there right? 

And thirdly, always bring friends whom you can trust. Having a support, even one, in the midst of all the new stuff can change everything. Problems would be easier to handle and you don't have to face everything alone.

I think when it comes to stepping out of the comfort zone, it all boils down to what you really want in life. If success means doing something big and new for you, then trying new things is a logical choice but if you're someone who's easily overwhelmed (they call us the introvert), then perhaps stepping out is never a good choice.

Comfort zones are called that for a reason. It means that even if you choose to stay there forever, nothing bad is going to happen. I guess it's how the society to built to value the people who dares to try without thinking that results in such an emphasis on stepping out of it and the negative stereotype associated with those that do not dare to try.

But from my experience, I learned that things are never that simple because for every opportunity you get, there's always an equal chance to land you in hell. Blindly trying will in most cases, result in you hitting a brick wall. Escaping is not an option for me now, I don't have a flying car like Ron, and I guess I'll just have to take things as I come. But if the next time you check this blog and discover that I am kicked out from university and is now one of the most hated figures in NUS, you'll know what happened :p


  1. You can't just stay in your comfort zone always. It's there for a reason but there will be time to be mature and grow up.


Post a Comment

Leave your handsome/pretty comments here!

Popular Posts