A Thinker's Reflections #12: Avoid The Comfort Zone

What Does Work Mean To You?

Is work looking at the clock constantly for you?

Work should never be viewed simply as something to dread. Instead, it should be viewed as an opportunity to expand and grow from one situation to the next, while emerging stronger than ever before. It is the chance to continually improve yourself, and allows an individual to maintain relevance within the competitive realm of job hunting.

I think part of the reason why many hesitate in delving too deep with work is having to focus on a particular object, while eliminating everything else in the process. It is hesitating to take a step forward and relinquish that precious concept of time, which most seem to cherish for every second passing by (e.g. as most commonly seen when monitoring a clock to rush out of work).

            We Owe It To Ourselves...

Relax too much and risk losing discipline.

One should be aware that just because you do not have a job, but have one set up in the coming months, it should not be an excuse to slack off. We owe it to ourselves to continue developing, and move forward in preparing for the future. The moment we start to "feel" like we need to relax for awhile, is the moment when we lose the value of discipline. There is always something that should be done, whether big or small, which can contribute to keeping your skills top-notch, and it is up to you in finding out what they are.

Keep Skills Sharp By Conducting Correlated Activities
By doing activities that have relation to your industry or practice, you are ensuring skills remain sharp. A large component of this individual development will require intense self-discipline and motivation in order to actually carry out what needs to be done, since it is likely there will be no mentor to push you forward.

I believe motivation is at the core of anything we apply ourselves in. Motivation is what keeps us doing whatever it is we pour our efforts into; it helps to clarify why we do something.

Ask Yourself Directly...
Continually moving forward is no easy task, especially since we all want to fall into the comfort zone of "no worries". Avoiding this restrictive mindset is essential because it can quickly turn into an abyss devoid of personality, creativity, and effort, all in the blink of an eye. So in order to avoid the dangers of falling in the comfort zone, be sure to ask yourself directly, "How can I motivate myself?"

Three Ways You Can Avoid The Comfort Zone
Just so you have an idea, you could avoid the comfort zone by doing these three steps, in no particular order:

• Focus On A Particular Object: remind yourself why it is important to keep your skills sharp, while addressing which things are not essential to your focus (otherwise you will not be able to take that step forward)
• Ask Yourself Directly: reaffirm your expectations and your situation (where do you want to be?)
• Use Self-Discipline: create deadlines for yourself, outline steps for major actions you need to take, and directly state outcomes you could expect

What are your thoughts/experiences with moving forward in the realm of work? Additionally, what are your opinions on human nature being known for falling into a comfort zone?