One of my favorite quotes is from Theodore Roosevelt's famous "man in the arena" speech, which seems like it was written for entrepreneurs:
It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.
Here are three reasons plus a challenge at the end to get out of your comfort zone immediately.
1.No risk, no reward.
This one is obvious and probably the reason you became an entrepreneur. The comfort zone is like the "friend zone" -- nothing really good ever happens there.
2.No innovation.
The comfort zone embraces the status quo and stifles new ideas, technology and philosophy. Does anyone still use a fax machine?
3.No growth.
We don't take risks in the comfort zone because it's uncomfortable; unsettling; and uncertain. But if you're not moving forward you're actually moving backwards as others leave you in their dust.
I'd like to personally invite you to join us in the arena for a brand new experiment. It's a new original web series called Looks Easy.
Looks Easy is a show about an ordinary guy trying to do extraordinary things to create a little spark. It's a metaphor for getting out of our comfort zones to a place where (more) magic happens. This is the first of many episodes to kick off the series.
If you are an entrepreneur you're used to hearing from the critic. They say things like, "That's not going to work" or "You're not talented enough to pull that off."
To those stuck in the comfort zone, my challenge to you is to risk being a little more vulnerable; a little more courageous; and all in on your ideas, talent and dreams. See you in the arena, hope you enjoy the show.