Imagine for a moment that you are sitting comfortably inside your comfort zone. You are surrounded by all of the things you know and trust, doing the things you’ve always done, working with the people you’ve always worked with and telling yourself the stories you’ve always told yourself. You’re Dorothy in Kansas before the cyclone.
Be careful though. Your comfort zone is like a soft little cloud. It’s comfortable and safe – too comfortable and too safe. The amygdala is the part of our brain which prevents us from doing strange, new things which will have unknown results and consequences. The problem is that when we listen to it too closely, we never give ourselves the opportunity reach our infinite possibility – all the things you could be and all the things you could become, including your ultimate success as an artist.
As artists, we have lots of experience in leaving our comfort zone for the purpose of creating art. I’m encouraging you to consider leaving your comfort zone for the purpose of creating a successful arts business.
The journey’s not easy. In the space between the soft cloud of our comfort zone and the bright infinite land of possibility is the land of FEAR. ‘FEAR’ can stand for False Evidence Appearing Real or Finding Reasons And Excuses. It’s this land that we encounter first when we leave our comfort zone. It’s the land of FEAR that makes us turn around and head back to our comfort zone. We justify our U-turn with thoughts like “Oh I think I’d better wait until I finish whatever current project I’m working on, and then I’ll make a change” or “I think I’ll wait until ‘X’ happens and then I’ll be in a better position to take advantage of the opportunity to change.”
The amygdala is happy to welcome us back to our comfort zone, reassuring us that the decision to turn around was the right one to make. We are quick to rationalize our decisions, using statements such as, “Oh gosh, I really can’t afford that right now so I’m not going to take that opportunity,” or “Another opportunity will come around eventually, I’ll just wait”.
FEAR is not the truth because we failed to pass through it. The challenge we face when starting or growing our arts business is learning how to move through fear and not give in to rationalization.
To overcome FEAR:
Focus on the prize
Identify a specific goal or change which is part of your infinite possibility. See, feel, and imagine yourself standing in the place of infinite possibility. You are the person who moved through the fear and is standing inside your success looking back at the frightened, small person afraid to leave their small comfort zone.
See it as opportunity
You can’t leap over the land of FEAR, you can only pass through it. This occurs through believing in the goal on the other side and trusting that the process is the best tactic for navigating through it. Know that fear is the golden opportunity to learn something, to experience growth and to experience change. Fear is an awareness of your imminent potential. Fear acknowledges the existence of an opportunity.
Use your art experience
Working in or with the creative arts gives you constant experience that stepping outside your comfort zone produces innovative, interesting new art. Apply that knowledge to everything you do.
Notice your own story
If you have experienced leaving your comfort zone, felt some of the fear and then turned back, the best thing you can do is listen to the story you tell yourself – either the story that happens when you are in the land of FEAR or the story of your rationalization about why you returned to your comfort zone.Conscious awareness of these stories is the first step to conquering them and replacing them with stories which encourage you to step out of your comfort zone.
Coat your mind with Teflon. Hear your thoughts of limitation and anxiety, but don’t let them stick.
Don’t get too comfortable
If you’re totally happy being in your comfort zone and you’re happy with the work that you’re creating, I encourage you to be curious. Ask what would happen if you made small changes. We all deserve some rest and comfort because we work very hard as artists. My appeal is to encourage you to not reside there.
If Dorothy hadn’t arrived in the Land of Oz, the Scarecrow wouldn’t have a brain, the Tin Man wouldn’t have a heart and the Lion wouldn’t have Courage.
You’ve built a beautiful, comfortable, soft cloud – but that is the best position to see the bright and shining infinite possibility? Leap off your cloud of comfort to grow, change and transform. Either make excuses or make things happen.
