Pick an obscure subject you know very little about. Research and read about it, watch videos on it, then write a five hundred-word essay. Don’t worry about making it sound like a Pulitzer prize-winning document; just pour your heart and effort into making it the best report you’ve ever written. You may have to sweet-talk your spouse or significant other, but you’ll be amazed how different it makes you feel.

As long as the decision to leave the comfort zone aligns with a person’s values, this shift is akin to making a bid for self-actualization. For one, not striving for growth could mean falling into a state of inertia later in life. Maslow’s hierarchy of needs operates like a ladder, with the satisfaction of our ‘basic’ and ‘psychological’ needs being analogous to inhabiting the comfort zone. But whether we’re conscious of it or not, the theory argues our next requirement is for personal growth and fulfillment. Aside from enhancing performance, there are plenty of less-direct benefits of leaving the comfort zone.

WikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article has 14 testimonials from our readers, earning it our reader-approved status. Have fun and enjoy the journey of “figuring it out” because that’s what life’s about. All you need is a goal and the clarity for the next step you need to take. You bridge the gap between where you are and where you want to be one small step at a time. No one expects you to know the exact steps you’re going to take.

Think of something that you avoid due to your current comfort zone. Try to think about what is the worst that is realistically able to go wrong and how you could correct it if it did. A great way to force yourself forward on an uncomfortable path is to burn your bridges, e.g., If you want to get a new job, hand in your resignation at your current job. Talk to that person you’ve been meaning to get to know or join that group activity you’ve been curious about. In the worst-case scenario, even if you fail, you will have learned new skills, and that is already a good thing. Pick something that you have wanted to try for a long time, locate a local club or trainer and make a booking on the first available day on your calendar.

Figure out the worst that can happen, and the best that Personal Development can happen. Focus on those best things, and it will be easier to escape that zone comfort. One way to leave your comfort zone is to learn new skills that give you a competitive advantage and make you more employable.

So even when you know you’ve outgrown your comfort zone, fear holds you back from moving forward. For instance, you may hesitate to pursue a different career path because of a fear of failure. Finding the motivation to leave your comfort zone isn’t easy.