Liz Dobbins Of zant On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally and Professionally
Understanding that failing is where we do our best learning
It feels most comfortable to stick with what we are familiar with. But anyone who has achieved great success will tell you that true growth comes from pushing yourself out of your comfort zone. What are some ways that influential people have pushed themselves out of their comfort zone to grow both personally and professionally? As a part of this series, I had the pleasure of interviewing Liz Dobbins.
As a Sensory Somatic coach, Liz Dobbins, MCC, integrates human body intelligence into her coaching modalities to accelerate results for her clients. She loves helping professionals perform at peak levels so they can eliminate anxiety, increase productivity, and implement tools to self-regulate. Liz provides practical strategies to improve the way we live, work, and learn by leveraging sensory processing, identifying sensory thresholds, and providing customized sensory awareness and neuroscience-based training methods to accelerate results.
Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we start, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your childhood backstory?
As a child, I grew up in a small midwestern town where both my parents were active in the community. My father was a funeral director and my mother owned and operated a furniture store. Having grown up independent, I have a deep appreciation for life. I discovered that I had a special knack for sports, and I enjoy competing. It was at this point that I became aware of the intelligence of my own body and the level of activity I enjoyed. I became interested in the sensory system and the science behind it as it relates to my way of being, which ultimately led to my studies in the sensory system.
Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?
“Life is available only in the present. That is why we should walk in such a way that every step can bring us to the here and the now.” ―Thich Nhat Hanh.
This is something that I apply to my own coaching practice in that every minute is a choice, and each moment is an opportunity to make another choice. To me, this means choosing the here and now.
Is there a particular book, podcast, or film that made a significant impact on you? Can you share a story or explain why it resonated with you so much?
Yes, “Living on The Skinny Branches” by Michael Strasner. As a transformation trainer, I have coached Michael, and this was my most important takeaway. It is not unusual for me to enjoy getting out on the skinny branches, but this book supported me in maintaining a balance between taking chances and not missing opportunities. This meant choosing to say no so that I could have more room for my yeses. In this way, I did not live so far out on the twigs.
Let’s now shift to the main part of our discussion. Let’s start with a basic definition so that all of us are on the same page. What does “getting outside of your comfort zone” mean?
As a result of being in your comfort zone, you experience a feeling of safety, ease, and freedom from stress. You’ll miss out on valuable opportunities if you stay too long. It’s a cozy place, but you won’t grow if you stay too long. The only way to expand your horizons is to take some risks, try new things, and push your limits. The key to overcoming fear is to embrace discomfort. A leader is comfortable being uncomfortable.
Can you help articulate a few reasons why it is important to get out of your comfort zone?
Being Curious and willing to be in the unknown is growth in itself. When was the last time you did something you were proud of? Are you on autopilot or were you pushing yourself? You’ll see a wide range of paths that lead to a more fulfilling and engaging life if you allow yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Ultimately, it’s in the learning that we grow.
Is it possible to grow without leaving your comfort zone? Can you explain what you mean?
I personally do not think so. You can feel comfortable in a safe environment, but you will not grow until you leave your comfort zone. If someone has a sensitive sensory system, then one of the behaviors is that he or she is cautious of not getting out of their comfort zone. They only will if they have the tools to self-regulate in which case, they are out of their comfort zone.
Can you share some anecdotes from your personal experience? Can you share a story about a time when you stepped out of your comfort zone and how it helped you grow? How does it feel to take those first difficult steps?
During my recent trip to Alaska to fish, our guide led us into a river where there were a number of bears fishing for salmon. This environment pushed me out of my comfort zone as I was fearful of the bears. As soon as I realized that the bears were not after me but rather the salmon, I took a breath, stepped into the river, threw out my line while keeping my head on a swivel, and realized that I was fine.
What are your “five ways to push past your comfort zone, to grow both personally and professionally”?
1. Tuning into your own human body intelligence.
2. Having tools to self-regulate in the moment.
3. Learning the power of the pause.
4. Gaining confidence with each baby step.
5. Understanding that failing is where we do our best learning.
From your experience or perspective, what are some of the common barriers that keep someone from pushing out of their comfort zone?
From experience, I can say that the most common barriers that keep people from pushing out of their comfort zone are the fear of failure, and the fear of not being good enough.
There is a well-known quote attributed to Eleanor Roosevelt that says, “Do something that scares you every day”. What exactly does this mean to you? Is there inherent value in doing something that pushes you out of your comfort zone, even if it does not relate to personal or professional growth? For example, if one is uncomfortable about walking alone at night should they purposely push themselves to do it often for the sake of going beyond their comfort zone? Can you please explain what you mean?
Recent MIT research indicates that when you actually start doing the thing you’re afraid of, your fear fades away. Better still, when you embrace the unknown and take that step forward, you open yourself up to new opportunities for happiness and fulfillment. Life is about finding your comfort zone, understanding it, and pushing yourself if you are able to.
You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be?
The movement I would inspire is to be a possibilitarian — someone who believes that anything is capable of possibility. I truly believe that this mindset could change the world
Is there a person in the world whom you would love to have lunch with, and why? Maybe we can tag them and see what happens!
I would say Mark Twain, as I would like to ask him about his core values. Some of my favorite quotes of his are, “If you tell the truth you don’t have to remember anything,” and “Always do right; this will gratify some people and astonish the rest.
How can our readers follow you online?
Check out my website: www.Propelogy.com, and connect with me https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-dobbins/.
Thank you so much for sharing these important insights. We wish you continued success and good health!
Liz Dobbins Of zant On How to Go Beyond Your Comfort Zone To Grow Both Personally and… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.