There is a quote supposedly from David Bowie, which goes like this:

“If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”

– David Bowie

You probably might have seen the picture with a circle labeled “Comfort Zone” and another label outside that circle, which said, “Progress happens here.” The same message, just packed differently.

And this couldn’t be more true. Thinking back to the bigger jumps in my career and entire life, all those jumps started with me leaving my comfort zone. There is not a single success I achieved while sitting in my comfort zone, not a single one. Realizing this is eye-opening and clearly defines the direction forward.

The point is, if you are staying in your comfort zone, you will keep doing things as you always did, and you are just hoping that you’ll get a different result this time, but you won’t. I probably don’t need to quote Einstein’s definition of insanity.

In addition, you know how to do things in your comfort zone. You know what to expect, you know how to behave. How will you ever learn something new there? If you don’t leave your comfort zone, no progress can happen.

So, if you want to make real progress in life and career, go a little further than what is comfortable for you. Go a little deeper into the water. Leave the safety of your comfort zone and dive into the unknown waters of growth and opportunities. You might not know where it leads, but the journey will be worth it. Who knows, you might even make some fantastic discoveries along the way!