IS IT TIME TO GET OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE? TYREE CONSTANTINE | Global Brand & Program Manager-Undergraduate, Hult International Business School
CHOOSING WHICH SCHOOL TO ATTEND CAN BE A COMPLEX DECISION, FULL OF TOUGH CHOICES. Will you stay close to home, or study abroad? Stick with your friends, or forge your own path? Using a tried-and-tested approach might help you make the choice with confidence. In business, we often apply a model developed by renowned educator and adventurer, Karl Rohnke. He says that every decision and action we take can be placed in one of three zones: comfort, stretch or panic.
HOW OUR COMFORT, STRETCH AND PANIC ZONES WORK Comfort Zone: Where things feel familiar and easy.
22
This is the zone where you take actions and make decisions about things you know how to do and with people you know
well. It’s a very comfortable and predictable place to be but allows for little personal development or challenge. Stretch Zone: Where things feel new and challenging. This is the zone where you take actions and decisions for the first time or in new ways, and maybe meet some new people along the way. It’s a place where you can sometimes feel out of your depth, but you are also likely to feel stimulated and inspired. Decisions and actions taken in the stretch zone can increase your skills and experience. Panic Zone: Where things can feel terrifying! This is the zone where any steps you take can feel like giant leaps into the unknown. Actions and decisions taken in the panic zone often have unpredictable outcomes and can feel like a step too far in the present moment.
