As I said in the my last post, I’ve felt as if I’ve been in a creative lull for the past year or so.

I’ve spent a long, long, long time, looking back in reflection over the past couple of years and I wanted to share an observation. I’ve realized it’s not so much a creative issue but more of a comfort issue.

“Most” people don’t have the drive to take risks or get outside their comfort zones. Notice I said most….

Most people would settle for being comfortable.

For example, would you rather work 9-5 with a guaranteed paycheck somewhere where you were slightly miserable or would you rather set your own hours doing something you love but have no guarantee of ever seeing a payday?

Naturally, most people would choose the guaranteed paycheck and just tolerate being miserable.

Why?

Because it’s comfortable.

Most people would prefer the path of least resistance. Less resistance means more time to watch HBO every single night.

It also provides security, usually less effort, it’s relatively pain-free and the finish line can always be seen….. usually a gold watch or thank-you-for-your-life plaque

But for the ones who would choose the other option, we also need to realize that we too can also fall into that same position of just “tolerating” our situation.

Does that make sense?

Here’s what I mean:

I’ve done very well on my own but I got too comfortable.

This means I began to become very careful about taking new risks, the same types of risks that allowed me to get there in the first place.

The same type of risk that allowed me to grow.

I became comfortable with applying only the minimum amount of effort needed to maintain comfort but that stalled growth.

This was great for a while until one day I woke up and realized I had gone off the track and it was time to get back on.

Growth requires taking chances and stepping outside your comfort zone. Most people choose comfort.

Entrepreneurs can choose comfort but I believe that’s the moment our growth stops and the only place to go from there is back down.

As a business owner or entrepreneur make it a priority to get out of your comfort zone on a daily basis. Do something each and every day that is uncomfortable for you.

• Maybe it’s a random phone call to thank a client for something.

• Maybe it’s a wacky YouTube video about your business that results in over 5 Million Views worldwide….(see below)

If it hurts or makes you feel even slightly awkward, you’re on the right track.

Don’t be afraid to get silly and take chances and sure as hell don’t settle for being comfortable.

This is where growth and real success happens.

It really is that simple.

P.S. You’re probably wondering how I stepped outside my comfort zone today right?

Well here’s the thing. I have many clients and people I’ve worked with over the years that have never even seen a picture of me.

Pretty crazy right?

I’ve always been pretty careful about how much of myself I shared online but I decided today was the day to REALLY STEP outside my comfort zone and post a picture of myself.

I took a picture of my nuts and posted them on a DailyBooth.com

Check it out here…… Don’t worry, the link is safe for work

It’s nice to meet you too.