Why are some people afraid to step out of their comfort zone and try new things?

1. 92

   sangreposted 11 years ago

   Why are some people afraid to step out of their comfort zone and try new things?
   
   Are they really afraid to try out something different or just not bothered about gaining new knowledge.

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   That Grrlposted 11 years ago

   Because other people are so very judgemental. Most of us fail or don't do very well the first time we try something new. If that were all there was to it... but it's not. You have to listen to the opinions, judgements and unasked for advice.
   
   Even your question is judging others. Why do they have to step out of their comfort zone and try new things? Is it just to please you? If something works - why fix it? Why do you assume it's a bad thing to stick with what you know instead of trying something new?

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      skye2dayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Sounds like sangre is curious to me, NOT  judgemental. Many people are afraid, that is fact. She is asking a question.  You gave your opinion. just as I gave mine based on my experience.  God Bless.

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      Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with skye2day--I didn't sense judgment in the question, merely curiosity. There's nothing wrong with staying in your comfort zone, but you may miss out on opportunities for joy if you never step out of it and try new things. Moderation! :-)

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   somethgblueposted 11 years ago

   Because of conditioning by The Powers That Be to the practice of contempt and ridicule prior to investigation, which in turn leads to cognitive dissonance!
   
   It is easier to control humans if they are in a constant state of fear and distracted by distrust while being fed disinformation.
   
   http://somethgblue.hubpages.com/hub/Ope … he-Sheeple

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4. 67

   skye2dayposted 11 years ago

   I do not have an answer precisely. Everyone is different. I believe for myself if I do not want to make a change and step out it is based on fear. Fear simply put is lack of faith. Fear is not from God but from the enemy of this world. He does not want us to succeed. Fear of failure or loosing something is why I have been reluctant to step out, in the past. The good news is this. When I have stepped out it was all for the good. What I lost was for my gain. God knows the plans and they are far better then our finite minds can possibly imagine or come up with. For some it is so hard to trust in what you can not see.(Faith) So sad because God has so much for us to discover. If we love Him we have nothing to loose and everything to gain. He is the Father. He loves His kids. This is MY experience.Taking risks makes us to grow in faith, understanding, knowledge, wisdom, truth  and faith. If God be for us then who then can be against us? Romans 8:31  Even if we make a wrong choice it is not the end. At least we will not wonder years down the road, ''what if I had taken the risk and gone for it?" There are always other choices. At least we can say we tried if things do not work out so well. Great question by the way. God Bless.

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   emilgen2011posted 11 years ago

   Because it is difficult for some people to make adjustments or afraid to negotiate an uncharted territory...

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      miss1maginationposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree. People are generally afraid of failure.

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   Kimberly Vaughnposted 11 years ago

   I think that stepping out of your comfort zone is terrifying. However, some of the most rewarding experiences I have ever had in my life are when I have intentionally stepped out of my comfort zone.

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      Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      Me too! Me too! (Though stepping out of my comfort zone isn't always terrifying to me--often it's exhilarating and freeing! It depends upon how I look at it and what the situation is.)

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7. 84

   grand old ladyposted 11 years ago

   Old age and fear. Ziplining is on my bucket list, but when we went to the zipline I sat for 30 minutes to gather courage and backed out.

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      skye2dayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      old lady reasonable risks are good other risks are just plain crazy.  I would have been sitting with you.  Does it mean I do not have courage no it means it is not worth my sanity and or health to prove I can step out of the box.  lol

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      Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      skye2day, I love your response to grand old lady: there is no point in stepping out of your comfort zone just for the sake of stepping out of it. LOL

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   Damaken27posted 11 years ago

   A comfort zone, like the name suggests, is a familiar territory with no hidden stumbling blocks or booby traps to be wary of. Formal education teaches us to think within the box and in a calculated and predetermined fashion. Anything that does not subscribe to the notion that we are not accustomed to is feared. Thinking within or outside the box is what separates the lesser and the greater amongst us in all our earthly endeavors.

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      Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      True! However, like Darwinism (whether you believe in it or not) those who forage ahead of the herd are just as in danger of being eaten by a lion as those who fall behind. In other words, "outside the box" can be dangerous, rewarding, or both.

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9. 60

   KristenN4Boysposted 11 years ago

   For fear of failure, ridicule, humiliation.
   
   On the flip side, once you step out of your comfort zone to try something new, you may find that it's exhilerating, challenging, rewarding.
   
   I find that, more times than not, I am happy I take a chance to do something I wouldn't otherwise do. (zipling, shooting range, etc) If you try something new and stumble, you may think "well at least I tried.." or "that was not as bad as I thought it was going to be. Let me try that again" or "that was AWESOME!"

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      sangreposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm like that too. New challenges are always frightening but life should sometimes be about taking the odd risk here and there instead of sticking to the same routine for fear of ridicule. Ignoring them makes you the bigger person.

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      Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

      :-) So true, KristenN4Boys! Reminds me of the time I went downhill skiing--very scary, far out of my comfort and ability zone, but I managed not to break any bones, and the view from the ski lift was awesome! I was glad I'd tried it, and may again.

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10. 66

    miss1maginationposted 11 years ago

    Some people don't like change so they tend to be scared about stepping out of their comfort zone, I know because I found myself reluctant with finding work today - I felt out of my confort zone, fear and anxious quickly set in. For some reason, I did start to think I wasen't good enough for the role but I have most of all the qualifications. For me this come's from working in a long term positon and not trying new things. Now I want to learn:)

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       skye2dayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Never to late to learn miss1.  You keep going all of your experience will work for the good. God knows you are good enough, now you beleive it.  The devil lies. He can shove it cuz God makes no not good enoughs.  He created special you!

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    2. 84

       Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Way to go, miss1magination! You'll find that living outside your comfort zone is kinda fun, even, over time. You'll make mistakes, of course (who doesn't?) but you'll love your new-found freedom. Kudos for branching out! Best of luck in the future!

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11. 76

    ginjill ashberryposted 11 years ago

    I agree with almost all of the opinions here(before mine). And voted several up's.
    As for me; I share similar views as KristenN4boys and Kimberly Vaughn.
    Miss1Imagination, I just went for an interview. The position was one level higher than what I've ever held. I was terrified and had a case of anxiety. Honestly, I would have refused the call for interview (I still have inferiority complex residue) if it wasn't for faith(I'm with you,Skye2day).
    That Grrl, it's not a bad thing to be content.
    Sangre, I think a lot of people out there wants to gain knowledge. Some overcomes their mental/emotional barriers much easier than others just as a stronger and bigger person are able to carry more load than a weaker, smaller person. That is why, all of us are special. Those who are of strong courage should lead/advice the weak in spirit. We are all meant to be a counterpart of one another in this world. Apologies, I got carried away. The fact is; I've been in both shoes. I was a timid kid that got bullied as a kid. Six years later, I was the defender of the under dogs. I'll tell that story someday..

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       skye2dayposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       ginjill  Bless you sweet heart. It takes courage to step out of the box.  WIth God all things are possible and work for the good for those that love Him. Romans 8:28
       All things are all persons, all matters, and all things in our life. God sovereignty

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12. 92

    mikejhcaposted 11 years ago

    As the term comfort zone implies the person is comfortable.  When you step out of your comfort zone you are taking a risk and giving up your comfort.  It is not just about fear of the unknown.  People need motivation.  Discomfort motivates people to do something else.  Comfort motivates people to continue to do what they are doing.  That is why some restaurants have chairs that are uncomfortable.  They want their costumers to leave.
    
    My couch is comfortable so I exercise before I sit on my couch.  Getting up and exercising after sitting on the couch is much harder for me than exercising first. People that are happy and comfortable don't usually bother to try something different just to gain knowledge because they are not motivated to give up what they have.

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       ginjill ashberryposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       So true, Mikejhca.

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       Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Words of wisdom, mikejhca! I especially like, "People that are happy...don't... bother to try something different." Very well summed up!

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    Felisa Daskeoposted 10 years ago

    Some people are afraid to step out of their comfort zone and try new things because they either lack the courage to do so or they are afraid to commit mistakes if they try.  Many people are afraid to be laughed at or belittled if they commit mistake so to avoid these embarrassing moments they just stick to their comfort zone.

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    1. 84

       Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       So true, Felisa Daskeo! We're also taught that mistakes are bad, rather than learning experiences, so I think that plays a role in keeping people in their comfort zone, too.

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    calmclinicposted 10 years ago

    It's not so much as being afraid to learn new things but more for fear of the unknown. Very few people have the raw courage to just step out and try new things or take a leap of faith...

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    1. 84

       Laura Schneiderposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       Our society, dare I say most societies, value keeping the status quo more than shaking things up and going off in different directions. People who venture from the norm take risks and failures/benefits. It is scary to be such a person, though.

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15. 84

    Laura Schneiderposted 10 years ago

    I think you've nailed the main reasons in your question description: fear of trying something new and not bothering to gain new knowledge. I would also add that it's probably got something to do with the "herd" mentality that most people exhibit--kids are encouraged to "fit in" with everyone else and to "go with the flow". Few kids are encouraged to range out on their own and try things that other kids aren't doing. I was a very tiny child compared with others my age, so I could never "fit in" with the crowd even if I'd wanted to (which I didn't), and my parents were always encouraging of my various non-traditional activities, therefore I grew up out of my comfort zone most of the time. I treasure those experiences and believe they have made me the adult I am today: not a "herd animal", but rather an individual with a really diverse life/background. I.e., "eccentric". :-) The more time I spend outside my comfort zone, the less scary it is to be there and the richer my life becomes. I thank my parents for their indulgence and their own eccentricities: as my role models, I learned that it was okay to live outside my comfort zone--and even fun and educational most of the time!

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    gmwilliamsposted 10 years ago

    So many people are afraid of the NEW. They want what IS known and familiar. In essence,many people are FEARFUL of the new. It represents what is unfamiliar, unknown, unsafe, and ....D-I-F-F-E-R-E-N-T! read more

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       gmwilliamsposted 10 years agoin reply to this

       This hub is in response to this wonderful question. Please check it out, thank you.

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