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Get Out of Your Comfort Zone

MOST PEOPLE DON’T relish the opportunity to put themselves and others into uncomfortable situations. Tim Haggstrom is a bit different in that he makes his living doing it. You see, Tim’s job is taking people up on high-elements ropes courses so that they can embrace their innermost fears and anxieties while suspended anywhere between thirty to fifty feet above the ground. The outdoor challenge exercises he facilitates—each designed to promote personal growth and development—get people to stretch beyond their comfort zones and serve as the impetus for positive behavioral change.

Tim is a firm believer that behaviors don’t change if you keep doing exactly what you’ve always done and remain in an insulated environment. This has direct implications for regrets. For instance, if you always stay in your comfort zone, how can you grow and reach your full potential? In addition, failing to get out of your comfort zone may consequently make you risk averse and lead to the regret of feeling stifled, complacent, or bored with life.

On the other hand, getting out of your comfort zone can be a scary experience. But Tim would reaffirm that looking fear in the face is the only way to truly grow, gain genuine self-awareness, and see real behavior change.

So what does all this look like in application? Envision yourself climbing a thirty-foot telephone pole. Next you have to slowly raise your body until you are in a standing position on top of the pole—remember, it’s a long way down. Your final challenge is to leap off the pole into midair and try to ring a bell that is hanging just out of reach in front of you. Although you are tethered by safety ropes the entire time, rest assured that most people are still scared to death!

Participating in such an initiative may bring up a number of issues depending upon the individual, the most obvious being a fear of heights. But beyond that, some powerful metaphors can be derived from each experience, many of which have direct tie-ins to dealing with previous regrets in life. In this case the metaphors might be “making the long climb to get to the top,” “struggling to get over the edge” (once you’re almost at the top), and “taking a leap of faith.” By subsequently debriefing these issues after each ropes course activity, participants are able to acknowledge their fears and regrets as well as develop plans for moving forward.

While Tim’s role is to facilitate personal challenge experiences that get others out of their comfort zones, he also is adamant about walking his talk and regularly putting himself through similar regimens to ensure he’s come to terms with his lingering fears and past regrets in life. “At least once a year I make sure I really scare the crap out of myself,” Tim says with full sincerity. “Last year it was extreme kayaking, the two years before that it was skydiving and rock climbing, and prior to that it was hot air ballooning, scuba diving, and hang gliding.” Tim admits that currently he is focused on becoming a better public speaker, which in his opinion is the most terrifying thing he’s ever done.

Getting out of your comfort zone gives you the opportunity to gain greater self-awareness and work through your past regrets. Realize that dealing with your fears is the key to producing behavioral change, whether on a ropes course or in real life. Take the initiative to face your demons and be cognizant of how you react. What do you notice about yourself? What can you learn from the experience? Get out of your comfort zone and see a new side of you.

Get out of your
comfort zone and
see a new side of you.

∼ What is a situation that would put you out of your comfort zone?

∼ What fears would you have to face in that situation?