Back when we first entered lockdown I came across an opportunity to step out of my comfort zone – by talking about stepping out of my comfort zone!
Julia Steel had a brave idea to set up a series of free online webinars (called Vid19) and hold several a day for 19 days. And she asked for volunteers.
I decided to offer… but I gave Julia an out!
My message was “Hi Julia, I love the idea of your virtual conference! I have an idea for a session on stepping out of your comfort zone, but wanted to check if you are happy to have someone with very little speaking experience before I submitted the form – I will not be at all offended if you are seeking more polished presenters!”
And Julia responded with “By all means throw it in, love the irony of you doing it is you stepping outside of your comfort zone”.
I filled out the form, at this stage quite terrified, but also knowing I had a soft landing. I started worrying about things like what if nobody signed up for my session!
About a week later I was presenting.
I did not prep as much as I felt I should, but I had a few slides (so people were not looking just at me) and a blog full of stories to share. So I just went for it!
Most of the feedback was about my soothing voice (does anyone know how I get into mindfulness voiceovers?). But people also seemed to enjoy the stories I had to tell.
Julia was extremely supportive. And the way it was run I actually have no idea to this day how big or small the audience was! From recall about half a dozen answered in the chat box when I asked questions.
I am pleased with how it went, acknowledging there is lots of room for improvement! And I’m willing to give it another go at some stage. I will take that as a win.
Image by me (Fiona) Words by me based on an interview with Gordon
Gordon wants to make a difference in the lives of the majority – the 99% not the 1%. He wants to help people achieve extraordinary outcomes. He says he gets called a square peg in a round hole.
I think he is a man with great passions and an unconventional approach!
One of Gordons biggest steps outside his comfort zone was when he put his hand up for a C-suite role in the international firm he worked for. He was only about 20-25% qualified for the position! What Gordon did was obtain the support of the COO and a really respected financial adviser so when he asked for the role he went in with support ready to go! His first task was to make part of the team redundant – so he certainly stayed uncomfortable once he started the role.
Gordon believes that our experiences shape our comfort zones “I think it stems from my childhood. I think there’s five or six different instances that change your life. Maybe it’s being bullied three times a day school. And the way I got myself out of that was to learn martial art. Then I came to Australia where I didn’t know anyone. And the first question you get asked in Australia is which football team do you support? Which school did you go to? Well, I don’t support an Australian football team. And I’ve never been to an Australian school so I had to find my own way.
“I’m dyslexic, so I can’t read well. So, I can’t write a book. But I can produce a book, I found a different way to produce a book. And then that book was produced in four days. It cost virtually nothing to produce it. And it’s sold over 4000 copies. And I haven’t paid for any advertising at all. “
Gordons advice is not to follow other people’s paths. That may be the right path for them but not necessarily for you.
The benefits Gordon finds outside of his comfort zone are often side effects! One example is that his wife was very ill, requiring a double lung transplant. Unable to keep working in the corporate world, Gordon discovered a passion for medical science and research – and started a very successful charity as a result!
“Life’s too short, a we’ve got to make every day count. And the last thing we need to do is go to the cemetery wondering what if!
“And when you take that step forward, tell people why you have taken that step. Tell people what it means to you, when you take that step. And what you’ll find very quickly is a group of people (I call it your ecosystem), who are really supporting you. Supporting you in terms of that advice, that support network, that healthy support network that will encourage people to push through. And what will happen is all those toxic people, those people that love to say no will suddenly disappear. So, do it, ‘just do it’ and take people with you . It’s your pathway, but it’s our journey. I’m here to – help and encourage you and support you along the way. I may not have taken the actual step, the same step as you. But I’ve got experiences.”
Thank you, Gordon, for your great story and outlook.
A little about Gordon:
Gordon Jenkins is an authority on visibility and unconventional business growth. As an executive coach, accomplished entrepreneur, speaker and author of Network with Purpose, he helps entrepreneurs and professionals breakthrough their plateau to achieve sustainable business growth and personal life goals. His intention is to facilitate growth that aligns with an individuals’ values and strengths so they achieve success that is meaningful to them
Gordon’s success and that of his clients stems from the strong belief that it’s okay not to conform to the system, it’s refreshing to be different, and that being a square peg in a round hole is a good thing. He is a supporter of the underdog and his purpose is to help ordinary people achieve extraordinary and meaningful outcomes every day. For more information about Gordon, please visit www.iamgordonjenkins.com or LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/iamgordonjenkins/ There is also a free resource: 30 ways to make networking feel less like work
Story by Fiona based on an interview with Shilpa Image by Fiona
Until 18 months ago Shilpa was very comfortable in her life. An amazing career spanning 16 years had been everything she wanted. Until she was made redundant. This was a wake up call for Shilpa – that someone else had control over her career like that.
Shilpa decided to take the opportunity to take back that control and try something completely new – follow her passion into a coaching career!
After years of staying comfortable Shilpa now steps out of her comfort zone on a daily basis!
Today she speaks regularly at public events and live videos. “I was a very shy person. I used to be a loner, very comfortable in my world and with my thoughts. And then I said, ‘Okay, let me go out there and put myself in front of the public. How bad can it be?’
“Speaking from the stage has been a great part of my journey! And today when I’m teaching other people to do the same, I know each of them can do it because I have walked that path myself”
Shilpa took a non-traditional approach to her new career! “So my initial feeling was okay, this is exciting. And then when I started, the biggest question I faced was ‘where do I get the credibility?’ I had a comfort zone for years; I was fully established there. People knew me, I had the relationships. And how do I create that credibility immediately in this new field when I am doing something totally different? It all came together somehow, but initially there was some, I wouldn’t say fear, but a hesitation whether it would work or not. But then I realised that I had built credibility all along, it was all that commitment, dedication, result orientation, everything that I had built in those 16 years. I just have to pull them along from my previous life and create some amazing results in the new industry and there you go- my credibility was there.“
Well done Shilpa!
There are good reasons why Shilpa regularly challenges herself “When you are sitting in your comfort zone, you get rusty. You’re just do what you know, over and over again. And you feel that you know it all. Whereas the fact is that you’ve not seen the world outside. And slowly you start getting this feeling that I’m comfortable here, but can I survive in the world outside, if required? Ultimately life does throw challenges. But if we can figure out a way to respond to it with whatever we have, that confidence and action orientation is the success mantra. Constantly getting out of your comfort zone, no matter how small the step is, gives you unlimited confidence, those juices which tell you that life is in control, no matter what “
Shilpa’s advice to anyone considering stepping out of their comfort zone is to just do it – don’t look for the 1000 reasons why not to do it, Reasons are for not doing things rather than for doing things.
I also asked Shilpa her favourite part of stepping out of her comfort zone “My favourite bit is the experience. Each of us have our own experiences. And if we go and we embrace more of such experiences, our life becomes richer. I’m not saying that everywhere there will be a win – there will be failures as well. But definitely there will be learnings.”
“So I would say, don’t overthink, JUST DO IT and whether it works or not, the learning you will get out of it, will go a long way in building that story that you’re writing for YOUR tomorrow.”
My favourite quote – “that story that you’re writing for YOUR tomorrow”. How powerful!
About Shilpa:
As a Career Strategist, Peak Performance Coach and #1 International bestselling author of the book “Play it Full”, Shilpa believe that you can attain incredible results in all three aspects of life- Achievements, Health and Relationships. You can have it all!
She is on a mission to impact 1 million people move from the role of a creation to a creator.
Her mentees are rocking their life today by performing at an elevated level, creating outstanding results for themselves.
Shilpa has mastered the magic formula and so is on a war against the average game.
The purpose of her life today is to share this formula, this awesome sauce with the world, so that each person gets an opportunity to fly high and through a ripple effect, it creates an exceptional world for all of us.
