Breaking Through

We all have aspirations and dream of ‘doing more’ when it comes to our health, wellbeing and our sport, but what does it actually take to step outside your comfort zone and try something new? How does one make that leap from watching a race to participating in one?

Train your brain

A comfort zone is a state of mental security. It’s a natural and comfortable space where your activities and actions fit a routine and pattern that minimises stress and risk. Performing (in any sport/activity) within your comfort zone feels just that – comfortable! You benefit in obvious ways: regular happiness, low anxiety, and reduced stress as ‘your exercise time’ takes you further from the daily juggle of deadlines, commitments and challenging situations. So, if a comfort zone offers such a happy place, why stretch it?

Neuroscientists have found that the brain learns best when stress hormones are mildly elevated. In other words, pushing the boundaries of comfort and experiencing a little anxiety and discomfort (i.e. stepping out of your comfort zone) can lead to significant progress and improvement. Pushing the boat too far, however, can have a negative effect by way of too much discomfort, a term called anxiety paralysis. The key to progressing is to keep gently nudging the edges of your comfort zone, and take small steps rather than huge leapfrog jumps.

“Comfort zones should be a moving target,” says Mike Margolies in his book The Athlete within You (2011). He says once you’ve stepped outside your comfort zone, you will start to get comfortable again, so you need to continually albeit gradually push yourself to a new level of discomfort. Too comfortable and you’re not productive; too uncomfortable, and you’re not productive – it really is a delicate balancing act.

Look in the mirror