Stretching the Comfort Zone

The comfort zone. The majority of us are very familiar with this phrase. A general description of this concept is the act of repeating activities and/or behaviors that have become part of one's routine. Some people refer to this as repeating an activity that is second nature. Challenging one's comfort zone is an opportunity where we all stand the chance of breaking into new territory. This can include learning new skills, performing tasks that you "never would have seen yourself doing," and embarking on journeys that you had never experienced in the past.

For some people, breaking through the comfort zone is considered to be "part of life." For others, taking that next step is a significant move. In some cases, breaking through the comfort zone can influence all facets of one's life, including personal and professional development. In healthcare, including EMS, there are numerous opportunities for expanding beyond one's current comfort zone.

Begin with a Vision

Depending on the resource that is reviewed, stepping outside of the comfort zone can be accomplished in a variety of ways. One suggestion is to begin with a vision. Successful athletes often "visualize" their event hours before it occurs. The runners can see themselves gaining momentum as they pick up the pace for the last quarter-mile. The skier can visualize him or herself as they tuck and seemingly float over the finish line. For some, the ability to visualize the success is key. In essence, you can see the goal. Now it is time to build a plan to achieve it.

The following is an example of visualization in EMS. Robert is a full time paramedic. The EMS system that Robert works for is starting a bike-medic team. Tryouts will occur in four months. In addition to interviewing for a slot on the team, all candidates must pass a physical test. The test will include a steep, technical bike ride at one of the local trails. The 10 riders with the fastest ride-times will remain in the application process. Anyone slower than the top 10 times will be excluded from continuing.

While Robert enjoys riding, he has never competed or participated in this type of event. He decides to apply for the team and begins to train. He finds himself mentally visualizing the test, and mentally he begins to ride-up the steep grade. After his first few rides, he becomes more familiar with the terrain and begins to push himself. With each ride he visualizes the course and pushes himself. By the time test day arrives, he is able to visualize much of the course. In addition, with all of the training rides, his technical skills have improved as well. He feels that he is as prepared as possible. Even though he's never done this type of event, he's stepping outside of his comfort zone.

Robert completes the ride and is successful landing a top time. For Robert this was a significant accomplishment -- but it was not easy. A key aspect to his success was his desire to succeed. While most persons do not want to "fail" at new things, having a strong desire to succeed is often times considered to be extremely important.

Robert's accomplishment also involved degrees of being uncomfortable. Because this type of activity was new, there were a lot of uncertainties. Physically he pushed his body to perform "at the next level". When trying to navigate the extreme technical parts of the course, mentally he occasionally found himself asking, "Why am I doing this?" Interestingly, each time he reached the top of the course, the feelings of success trumped any doubts. The ability to push his limits, visualize the success, and experience the success were paramount.

Pursue the Goal

To prepare for the tryouts, Robert had to review his schedule to make time to train. Sometimes breaking through the comfort zone involves a careful review of your schedule so that you can make time to pursue the goal. This may sound easy; however, depending on the person's life, squeezing in an hour or more for a new activity may be challenging. While this may be uncomfortable at first, making time to do other things may lead to new creativity and energy levels. There's an old adage: First, visualize the goal. Then, plan to achieve it. Now, go for it.