Working Outside the
Comfort Zone.
Anyone who owns their own business has, undoubtedly, run into this
problem: that nasty comfort zone. For some of us, it can literally
make or break our business. Whether your business is web design,
virtual assistant, or some type of direct selling- there�s going to come
a time when you find yourself stuck-and the reason you�re stuck is
because you are now required to step out of that comfort zone. That
being said, how do you get around it? Or can you get around it?
Unfortunately, you can�t just �get around it�. But you can find ways to
�trick your brain� and get through it. The good news is that it can be
a rather painless process.
I
want to point out a few myths associated with our comfort zones. I
think once you realize they are myths, the fear of getting out of our
comfort zones will be easier to tackle.
MYTH:
Only people who work in some type of �direct selling� will have problems
with their comfort zone.
FACT:
Not true. No matter what your business is, let�s face it�customers
aren�t going to come to you in droves simply because you may have a good
product or service. It�s going to take some selling on your part to
bring those customers in.
MYTH:
If I own my own business, I will be able to control how often I have to
be out of my comfort zone.
FACT:
No. The truth is, you may have to come out of your comfort zone even
MORE�unless of course you have a lot of $$ for payroll, so you can hire
people to do these things for you. We all know how powerful and
advantageous word of mouth can be. When your business is at the
beginning stages, who is going to be your word of mouth? YOU!
These things being said, how in the world do you work around this?
Well, as I stated above, there are some ways you can �trick your brain�
and get through it.
#1) DON�T presume the
prospect of being outside your comfort zone will lead to something
negative. For example: A cold call. YIKES!! Those three words alone
are enough to take me out of my comfort zone. The majority of us assume
that because it�s a �cold call�, we are certain to get a flat-out �NO�.
Think about it. You�re calling that person for a reason. You just
might have something they might need. For instance, let�s say I�m a
virtual assistant. I just heard there was a new lawyer in town that
doesn�t have a secretary. So, without presuming anything,
I take a deep breath and pick up the phone. It turned out he/she was
just working on a classified ad to hire a secretary, but since you
called, he/she has reconsidered and thinks your service may be just the
ticket! In fact, that new lawyer didn�t even know there was such a
service in town. Bingo! You�re in.
#2) How many times when
you were working for someone else (or maybe still are), did your boss
assign you to do something which took you out of your comfort zone?
Probably a lot. But you did it anyway. Why? Because it was your job
and you didn�t want to jeopardize losing it. Are you really willing to
jeopardize your OWN business?
#3) How many times in our everyday lives have we stepped out of our
comfort zone-without even questioning it? When you had your first
baby--that was definitely something you weren't used to. How about
meeting your ex-husband's new wife? HA! I'm sure THAT was definitely out
of your comfort zone! OR, how about when you had to peddle your
children's fundraisers to your friends and co-workers? Were you afraid
they say no? Probably not...you did it because it was for a good cause.
Well, isn't your business a good cause? Aren't the majority of us
working at home, or trying to work at home, doing this because our
family comes first? Well, that's a mighty good cause!
My point is this: Don't let the fear of getting out of your comfort zone
hinder you from doing what you need to do! Take things one step at a
time. Soon you�ll discover that going outside the comfort zone is
nothing more than a stroll in the park.
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Sharon Noggle
Independent Designer
Home and Garden Party
http://www.hgponline.com
sharon@hgponline.com
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