A great way to get used to getting into your stretch zone (and, so, really growing) is to stay in situations just 10% longer than you feel comfortable.

I want to get better at writing these mini essays. Sitting down and writing today was a great start. But most of the growth happened about 5 minutes ago, when I couldn’t think of another essay to write and so I felt uncomfortable enough that I wanted to get up and leave.

I told myself it was fine to leave, because my goal was to write at least one essay a day, and I’d already written two.

But I also recognised that those first 2 came pretty easily to me in the end.

This was the first time I’d felt uncomfortable enough to get up.

That feeling is the boundary of the comfort zone.

Just stay 10% longer.

So I did… that’s how the next two essays got written.

It turns out, the boundary between comfort zone actually feels worse than the stretch zone itself.

If you can encourage yourself to stay 10% longer, you’ll find you’ve crossed that boundary, into real growth.

Same with talking to a stranger if you have some social anxiety. Same with if you’re getting tired and want to stop jogging. Encourage yourself to stay just 10% longer, and then you’re free to leave.