Ahh, the “comfort zone”. The place where we retreat to from stress, harm or anxiety. The place of solace and strength.

The original Old English word was “frofor” meaning, “…state of enjoyment resulting from satisfaction of bodily wants and freedom from anxiety.”

But is it really?

When I was on a call with Gay Hendricks and he talked about the four zones of competence – incompetence, competence, excellence and genius – I don’t recall the “comfy zone” being part of the discussion, but maybe it should be in a way like, where does comfort play a part in our expansion?

It is natural to seek out comfort in food, in language, in company – in fact, they say that your net worth is determined by the company you keep – and it does feel safe to eat the foods we know, speak the language that comes easily and hang with people of like minds. But can we become victims of groupthink – “a phenomenon that occurs when a group of well-intentioned people makes irrational or non-optimal decisions spurred by the urge to conform”, according to Psychology Today – or other traps that blind us from powering up our growth?

Aha! ~ Great minds think differently.

Thinking differently requires curiosity, an open mind, a desire to expand and most of all courage. Why?

To cite PT’s concerns, “The problematic or premature consensus that is characteristic of groupthink may be fueled by a particular agenda – or it may be due to group members valuing harmony and coherence above critical thought.”

Some people will dare to play “devil’s advocate” to create discussion and ensure all aspects of the agenda have been considered, but when that is not popular, “…individuals tend to refrain from expressing doubts and judgments or disagreement with the consensus. In the interest of making a decision that furthers their group cause, members may also ignore ethical or moral consequences.”

If everyone is thinking the same, then no one is thinking.

Expanding tribes and societies provide a safe place to toss out ideas, research, and conflicting narratives. After all, that’s how we grow, right?

“I’ve become comfortable being uncomfortable.” ~ William Mahood

There has never been a better time to take