This principle asks you to “go for it!” by leaving your comfort zone and striving for impact.
Stepping out of your comfort zone is a uniquely personal activity. First, you need to understand where your comfort zone starts and ends before you can test yourself “in extremis”. Draw a circle on an A3 sheet of paper and label it as your comfort zone. Identify activities that lie in the center and activities that lie towards the edge—and, importantly, why. Now, start to note down things that are outside your comfort zone. Which activities make you feel uncertain, lack confidence, or are completely new? Begin to look ahead and plan to engage in some of these activities. It could mean signing up to speak at a conference, facilitating a lunch meeting at work, or saying yes to leading a new project.
Tip: Say yes to a challenge, even when you don’t feel completely prepared. Put in the effort to prepare and then “go for it!” Reflect on how it went afterward and see what new things you’ve learned. Did the circle of comfort you drew expand a little? Even if it didn’t, you’re living your best life. Alternatively, say no to things that are too comfortable. This is also an act of decisiveness. Often, saying “no” is even harder. Or as another student says, say “no” when you know you are overstretched by your current workload. You are too busy and will not be able to deliver quality. Another opportunity will come. In all cases, prioritize self-care.
It must be clear that even if you take a chance and things don’t go as planned, failing at something outside your comfort zone does not mean you are an individual failure. We take feedback very personally since, as designers, our identity is strongly connected to the work and projects we do.
