We’ve been told a lie about what it takes to succeed. We’ve been told we must break out of our comfort zones and make ourselves do what is ‘uncomfortable.’
I don’t agree and that’s why I call this idea The Comfort Zone Myth.
Let me explain. This morning I plopped my rumpus on the couch with a couple books by my side. Books I really want to finish.
I picked one of them up and began to read. While doing so I realized I hadn’t done my internal exercise routine yet.
“That’s okay,” I thought. “Just stay here on the sofa and relax. Do it some other time.”
As I heard this alluring voice I checked how I was feeling. Twas strange. I felt uncomfortable – instinctively realizing that I needed to move my body. Yet, concurrently my self-talk was saying that I should just plop my butt and read.
Recognizing that this self-talk was deceptive, I got up, walked into my garage dojo and began to practice my kung fu form.
I began with a head-and-face massage that brings greater blood flow to the brain and begins to open the meridians. I checked my breathing, my posture and my root. I sensed where my muscles were tense and gave them the command to relax.
Then I began to move. As I moved I went deep inside – paying attention to my center. I began slowly, as if doing tai chi – then all of a sudden, from out of nowhere, WHAM, I let out explosive force.
After doing so I began to move slowly again – then another BAM, another WHAP, another KA-POOM.
My breathing deepened. Energy began to circulate and move. A spirit of calm came over me as I finished the form.
Then I began again. Went through the form another time, looking to correct any mistake I could find.
And then I began again.
By the time I finished I was sweating profusely and feeling fantastic. I was in the zone. The comfort zone.
Before training I was in the discomfort zone, masqueraded by a couch that made it look like I was ‘comfortable.’ Far from it. My body needed to move so that I could move through the rest of the day, getting more done in less time, in a spirit of comfort and ease.
Success in anything is not so much about breaking out of ‘comfort zones.’ It’s more a matter of breaking out of your DIScomfort zones; the zones where you feel uncomfortable because you haven’t taken care of the most important things n life first. Things like deep breathing, focus and movement.
Mark my words. When you don’t exercise, you do not feel comfortable. You might think you do, but you’re kidding yourself. You’re deceiving yourself.
When you first begin to exercise, you may initially feel uncomfortable – but that’s only because your mind and body are totally misaligned. It’s only because you’re too weak, too flabby, too inflexible or too tired – none of which are comfortable states of being.
Yes, in traditional martial arts training there is an ‘eat bitter’ aspect. But the only reason you eat bitter is so you can feel more comfortable doing everything you’re training yourself to do.
I train everyday, not because I need to break out of my comfort zone – but because I want to enter it.
If I don’t train, I’m not comfortable. The same goes if I don’t breathe deeply, use my power of concentration, maintain good posture, eat healthy foods and so on.
Do the most important things in life first thing in the morning, and you’ll feel the power.
Matt Furey
P.S. Hey, want to enter the Comfort Zone in a big way? In a way you’ve never experienced before? Then grab hold of my extraordinary Dao Zou program now being offered at 50% off the normal amount. You will be blown away and flat-out amazed at how much this course adds to your life.
P.P.S. And make no mistake about it, doing Psycho-Cyb exercises each day is part of everything I do, including the Dao Zou program. Make sure you spend time each day in the Theatre of Your Mind – clearing the cobwebs and focusing like never before on how you want your life and this world to be. Snag your copy of the Zero Resistance Living Program – also available NOW at half-price –