25 Oct 2015 Where Is The Edge Of My Comfort Zone?
You may have grown used to our science-based Willpower Posts, but this one is different. No science, just a raw experience of pain and a deep question.
Standing With 26,000 People
On October 18th, 2015 at 8:00 AM I was standing at the start line, along with 26,000 other runners. All waiting for the gun to go off at the Toronto Waterfront Marathon. All waiting to challenge our comfort zone. (I was doing the half-marathon).
Two hours later I was in pain, as evidenced by the photo above. (Note that although I am wearing my 2014 race shirt, the race I am talking about took place this year).
I was stupid, you see. I did not listen to my wife the night before. We went out for the customary carb-loading pasta dinner. I was feeling good about my training thus far, so I grew a little arrogant and I ordered a beer to wash down the pasta, despite my wife’s warning. On top of it, I did not have my banana in the morning, as most racing aficionados recommend.
And so 90 minutes into my race I ran out of oxygen and I was not feeling so good.
As I was struggling to keep up with the runners in front of me, I was asking myself: “Is this the edge of my comfort zone?” Is this what people are talking about?
But in the days that followed, I figured it out. Experiencing a little pain at the end of the race was not the edge of my comfort zone at all. After all, I was highly motivated, even elated, to run this race.
My Aversions: The edge of my comfort zone lies at a place where my strong, often subconscious aversions dissuade me from getting close to. It lies where I experience strong discomfort or even fear of tackling tasks that I rationally know I must complete.
Mindful Awareness: So I am learning to ask myself the following questions:
1. What tasks or activities, essential to achieving my ultimate goals, am I avoiding?
2. Why am I putting them off? What discomfort or fear am I afraid of?
3. How can I conquer this fear? What interventions can I practice to help me dissolve these
subconscious aversions?
Find the answers to these questions for your own aversions, and you’ll discover and break through your comfort zone.
