Pursue Curiosity   (Part 2)                                        (back to Part 1)
--Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

A few years ago I decided it was time to resolve certain things with
my parents.  Getting them to sit down for a long talk seemed
impractical.  Most of the time they were in their garden.  Reluctantly,
I took it upon myself to learn about soil and planting; landscaping
and design.  Watering and waiting.  I stopped counting past
disappointments and developed a relationship with them I never
thought possible.  “Calculating” is a potent poison which requires
an equally potent antidote.  The only place to find it is somewhere
outside of your comfort zone.

Pursuing curiosity means caring enough about someone else to
step out of your comfort zone.  It's like playing an away game.  Sure,
you’d rather play at home where the crowd is on your side, but the
mark of a great team has always been measured by its ability to
win on the road.  No one gets to the playoffs if they don’t win there.  
What would happen if teams refused to play away games?  There
wouldn't be any games to play at all.  Once you refuse to meet
others outside of your own zone, all meaningful communication
comes to a halt.

I like to encourage students to take classes outside of their major.  
A chemistry student who takes a course in law might one day find
excitement in the option of sitting for the patent bar.  Unfortunately,
for many the risk of earning a grade that might lower their GPA far
outweighs the benefits of exploring something new.  Along those
lines employees sometimes feel that “spearheading a project” or
“taking initiative” are risks that detract from their responsibilities.  It
doesn't pay to care, goes the thinking.  This can be shortsighted.

Many of today’s most successful entrepreneurs got where they
are because of a willingness to explore new surroundings.  
Giorgio Armani left medicine to create his fashion empire.  Bill
Gates dropped out of Harvard to form Microsoft.  And J.K. Rowling
got out of the welfare line to transport all of us into the universe of
Harry Potter.  What we need to remember is that "going beyond" to
create new zones is what keeps life pulsating with energy.  

While your comfort zone can be a place of security, it shouldn't be
one of laziness and selfishness.  The more you stay in your zone,
the more you shut yourself off to the possibilities of new and
stronger relationships with others.  Every day, make a conscious
decision to go beyond what you know.  You might have to take baby
steps at first.  But whether it's smiling at a stranger or agreeing to
work on a project with a difficult colleague or going with your
spouse to visit the in-laws, in time you'll realize it's the bigger
person who sees and steps out into a more vibrant world.

Move on to
Lesson 2   Marshal Courage
Lesson 1   Pursue Curiosity
--Step Out of Your Comfort Zone