Giving a TED talk is definitely an experience where you get out of your comfort zone. For most of us, mere mortals, anyway.
It’s not just about the talk itself. I’ve been speaking to audiences before, some of them significantly larger than the live audience I spoke to two weeks ago.
It’s out of comfort because of the TED brand and the mystical aura it has created. It’s because of the process you go through with your fellow speakers. It’s because you know you’re being recorded, and if done well, your talk with be online available.
That’s what makes it an experience out of your comfort zone.
When you leave your comfort zone, you’re embarking on a journey of learning. Out of your comfort zone is where you grow and find the magic of your dreams. It’s where you find ‘better’ for you.
Most people live their lives within their comfort zone. Most teams and business live their ‘lives’ within their comfort zone. What counts for human beings also counts for groups of human beings, be it teams or entire businesses. They stick to what they know and are comfortable with doing.
Until suddenly, disaster strikes. Whatever that may be. Then we wake up and are willing to consider change. No sooner than that.
When was the last time you left your comfort zone? When was the last time you did something that scared the living daylights out of you?
Why did you do it? What did you learn?
Or perhaps. Why didn’t you do it? What were you afraid of?
Having done my TED talk, I know what my next out of comfort projects will be.
I’m going to go online with my content and will need to leverage video for that. Filming my own short video clips is not necessarily inside of my comfort zone. But I know I will learn from it and get something out of it.
Another major project for 2021 will be to finish the book. I’m ready with the content for the most part, and now need to start editing and putting the puzzle pieces together. Editing is the hardest part. It’s challenging yourself. Followed by putting the book out there, knowing it may fail. That’s out of comfort.
Your turn: what’s something (a dream; a project; an event) in the back of your mind you consider doing? What stops you from doing it?
Go do it. Leave your comfort zone.
Learn from it. Getter ‘better’ because of it.
Erikjan.