Leaving your comfort zone is required in order for your handmade or creative business to grow. We have to try new things and learn to embrace the stuff we’re not good at – yet. Scary stuff I know.
In case you missed one of the other posts in this 7-week challenge, here is what I’ve shared so far:
- Planning is the “secret” to success
- Knowing where you’re at now
- Increasing Traffic
- Working Backwards
- Writing Things Down
When was the last time that you experienced real growth – in your business, your personal life, or even your day job? Chances are, you had to step out of your comfort zone in order for that growth to happen.
When you stay in your comfort zone you are limiting your potential.
Yes, you can make progress by doing what you’ve always done – but it will be slow and maybe even kinda painful. When we leave our comfort zone, try something new, take a bit of a risk, and allow for personal and professional growth – well, that’s when you start to see big changes.
Let’s say your goal is to expand your reach and get in front of a larger audience.
What you’ve done so far, and what feels comfortable is probably writing a blog post every week and then sharing it on social media.
- Sure, some new people might find you.
- If you publish more posts per week and share more often on social media, you’ll probably see some growth and engagement.
- But you’re still staying in your comfort zone.
Ideas for leaving your comfort zone.
- Write a guest blog post for someone else’s blog. Writing and submitting a guest blog post can give you a lot of added exposure by allowing you to get in front of an established audience. It also gives you the chance to start a relationship with a fellow blogger that may lead to all sorts of other opportunities and collaborations.
- Record a fun and informational video (or series) that you can share on YouTube, embed it in a blog post, and share on social media. Recording a series of videos gives you an opportunity to reach a completely different subset of your target audience. There are plenty of people who prefer video content to written posts and articles.
- Setup and test a Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest ad that continually sends new leads your way. Spending money on paid ads can sound like a pretty scary proposition, but one you nail it and find something that converts well for you, you’ll get a steady stream of new leads in front of you without any added work.
Real growth requires you to step out of your comfort zone and is something you should be doing regularly. You won’t stay uncomfortable for very long. After you’ve recorded those first few videos, submitted a couple of guest blog posts, and spent those first few dollars on ads – you start to get comfortable with the process.
Are you ready to step out of your comfort zone and try something new?