Moving out of your “comfort” zone – part 2

If you read my earlier post, you may already understand that a comfort zone can be a self-constructed trap. It is the mechanism you construct to avoid any exposure to events, ideas, and people who might cause you distress. It is the barrier that will hold you back in life especially if you are an artisan, a musician or a writer.

If you are having difficulty following this train of thought, here are some examples from life. You are hiding in a "comfort zone" if you are doing any of the following:

1. Avoiding situations where you have to discuss the price of your wares or services with potential customers.

2. Avoiding contact with situations where you have to speak or perform publicly.

3. Listening to those who tell you that you should not try to write, paint, sing, play because you are not expert enough. They always say they are telling you this, of course, "for your own good". These are the people who criticise other’s art instead of creating it themselves.

4. Staying in a job or relationship that is slowly grinding you down to a shadow of your former self, because to leave it would mean that you would have to go out and meet new people.

If any of the four examples apply to you, the first step in handling it is to understand that you are the only person who can do something about it. Nobody else can do it for you. Others can encourage you, but you must recognize that your "comfort zone" is self-constructed.

You might think that your solution is to become more competent at your craft. That is always necessary, but it will not move you out of the trap you have constructed for yourself. You need to reach out to new people and find out what they want and are willing to pay for. That is not "selling", it is the very essence of marketing!

It is this gradual reaching out that will show you who wants and can afford what you have to provide. It is essentially a social activity and it requires more listening  than trying to convince someone.

It is far easier to find customers who like what you have to offer than it is to convert people who hold contrary opinions.

Think of it this way, other people have comfort zones too! Their comfort zones may not include trying new things like your products or services. They are set in their ways. Don’t waste time educating them when there are people who already are looking for what you have to offer.

Life is short. Spend it with people who care about you and your products. Find them instead of trying to convert the unwilling.

Good luck!

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