Comfort zone. Those two words, when it pertains to careers and the workplace, make me cringe. To me, it means complacency and—to a certain degree—laziness.

When friends complain to me about their situation, I often ask, “Why don’t you try something else?” To which I usually get a response similar to, “Because I’ve been doing it for so long” or “Well, I’m used to doing what I do now”.

No matter what the answer turns out to be, the root of it can be pinned to fear. Fear to do something new. Fear to take risks. Fear to get out of a comfort zone. Here’s a newsflash: nearly everything you want is going to be out of your comfort zone.

“You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” – Wayne Gretzky

It’s amazing how many people are satisfied with having so many “what ifs” in life. Dreams, goals, and aspirations are not just for college undergrads. You need to keep on achieving in your career also.

Keep on setting goals and being the best you can be in the position you currently hold. And if you’re not where you ultimately want to be, take the risks necessary to get there.

You are your own worst critic, and unfortunately, you’re also your own worst obstacle in life. People and circumstances aren’t as big a challenge as the ability of the mind to psyche you out of what you want to do.

So the next time fear rears its ugly head and gets in the way of your success, ask yourself what you’re really afraid of. Is it even a valid fear? And could you live with yourself if you let that fear win?

Written by:
Hope Boyd
Director of Communications, Strategic Government Resources
governmentresource.com