"We need to build on things we already know and stretch ourselves in something we have potential or talent in. For me real risk would have been in doing public speaking in the area of computer engineering, something I know nothing about and an area where I am not talented and have no interest. Instead I speak on what I know: aspects of counselling and psychotherapy."
Among other things, Knight does an innovative talk on depression for the community, so people can know how best to support each other.
"Public speaking has been a stretch for me - but I'm talking about something I'm passionate about. When considering the 'stretch' part of things, think of a rubber band. You don't want to stretch it to the limit so it breaks. You need to keep things flexible and think about what you are doing."
She says the problem with staying in a comfort zone is that in it there is no stretch. "That's when people can fall back in their work. They can become unfit for their job and boredom can cause them to become lazy. They lose sense of integrity and can get depressed. Human beings need to develop their sense of autonomy and need growth. It's true that you may not want to grow in your work or climb the corporate ladder and take more responsibility, but if that's the case it's a good idea to look to stretch yourself in your off-time. It's about creating balance. Is there a marathon you've been wanting to train for, or have you been wanting to learn how to play the piano?"
She says if people are in a general place of stagnation they can start to feel resentful about having to go to work every day. "They have no satisfaction in what they do in that case."
People in a comfort zone can feel angry when expected to do something new or different. "This directly challenges the place of comfort and can be career-limiting."
Is it possible that you are in a comfort zone? First, Knight suggests, "start taking notice of your reactions, listen to the words in your head. Once you start doing that it can help get clarity. Notice the barriers that are there and affecting your enjoyment of the job. Do you have to drive far to get to your job? Should you find a new job or move closer perhaps?"
Knight says that getting out of a comfort zone can be anxiety-driven. "If there's no anxiety, it's not much of a stretch. Anxiety is important because it tells us that there's a challenge and that can lead to a feeling of excitement."
It's important also to reality-check your fears. Do you need to mitigate some risk? "We wear seatbelts in cars and crash helmets on bikes to mitigate risk, sometimes when we face something new we need to be aware of how to protect ourselves. Perhaps that is about making sure we have a nest-egg, or it could be about holding on to the old while stretching into the new - keeping our old job while studying and preparing for a career change."
The risk with a comfort zone, Knight says, is that it can burn you out. It's good to note when your job no longer has meaning for you and that it's time to stretch yourself.
• Disclaimer: Val Leveson does counselling work for the Tui Centre.
