There is a place torture and suffering;
Within whose inescapable borders, millions of people are ensnared, trapped.
A place where hope dies, ambitions wither, dreams fade to nothingness.
A treacherous expanse that lulls its inhabitants into a false sense of security, masking the gradual erosion of their aspirations.
Behind the façade of its tranquility lies the tragic fate of countless souls who never dared to step beyond its boundaries, their existence fading away in the shadow of unexplored horizons.
Millions, no billions have lived and died there.
I bid you, dear traveler, welcome to the Comfort Zone.
We are living in a time of unprecedented change. Change is everywhere around us, and things are changing all the time.
If you own a cell phone, you know what I’m talking about – that brand new, shiny, top-of-the-range model you bought, is outdated in under a year.
But the trouble with change, is that we a terrified of it. We are creatures of habit, and we love the familiar. The thought of change is unbearable.
Despite our fears, we need to embrace change because it is a certainty. It is what grows us.
“In the grand story of life, change is the unwavering protagonist, driving our evolution.”
When we look at our businesses, things are changing all the time. We look at our jobs, things are changing all the time. The world is in a state of flux because of the frantic innovation that’s happening. This is largely because of the technology that’s coming up, but also due to other factors, such as competition and market trends.
Everybody is experiencing change; but the sad part is, not everybody is going to be successful in embracing this change.
There are always the sceptics. Sceptics hate change. In fact, they hate anything they don’t understand or cannot relate to. They are the ones who stand at the periphery, criticizing everyone and everything.
When there’s something new introduced at work, like a new software system, or a new process, sceptics have an instantaneous, knee-jerk reaction.
They will shudder and scream internally, saying things like:
• “But that’s not how we do it around here.”
• “This is the way we’ve always done it.”
• “What’s the point of that?”
Now, when I hear words like that, to me it actually translates to: “I’m terrified of doing it differently because I don’t want to look stupid. I’m in my comfortable here. Please don’t take me out of my comfort zone. It terrifies me.”
The comfort zone is a deadly delusion, and I feel sorry for this type of person. In today’s world where change is guaranteed, one of the most important skills you can have is the change mindset.
Those people who have that mindset will be the future leaders, while the sceptics will be wiped out.
I’m not saying it’s easy; change requires a tonne of courage, and leaving your comfort zone and venturing out into the unknown, is like leaving the warmth and comfort of your home and walking into a forest full of wolves.
That is why we cling to the past. It’s safe. It’s familiar. It’s known to us. We have dominion there. It’s a cozy cabin in the middle of a dark, snowy and scary forest.
We want to stay inside.
But the safety is a delusion. Because in due time, the big bad wolf of change will come along, and huff and puff and blow that house down.