If you decide not to push yourself and stay in
the comfort zone, there is a risk that you won't be learning as much
as you could.
There are three learning zones: the comfort zone, the
stretch zone and the panic zone. Most of us naturally drift towards the comfort
zone. However, the main place that learning and development takes place is in
the stretch zone.
How do you know that you are approaching a stretch zone? You
will likely get butterflies or feel the urge to walk away or give up
prematurely. Whatever the sign, it is important to recognise that it
indicates your personal stretch zone and an opportunity to make a decision
there and then to grow. If you don’t take up jump you might never do so
You might think that if working in the stretch zone helps
improve your skills, then working in the panic zone is better (more is better
yes?). Unfortunately, research has demonstrated that this can lead to
ineffective learnings and weaker performance.
If being in the stretch zone is challenging why do some
artists push themselves? The answer probably lies with the artist's
desire to better their art.