In this episode we discuss why people struggle to reach outside their comfort zones – and why it’s so critically important that you do, we explore the 5 core psychological road blocks stopping people from stepping outside their comfort zones, we go deep on how you can become tougher, more resilient, and embrace discomfort, how you can master the art of small talk, what you need to do to cultivate the skill of “global dexterity” and much more with Dr. Andy Molinksy.

  

 Dr. Andy Molinsky is a professor of Organizational Behavior and Psychology at Brandeis University. Andy is the author of Reach: A New Strategy to Help You Step Outside Your Comfort Zone, Rise to the Challenge and Build Confidence, as well as Global Dexterity: How to Adapt Your Behavior across Cultures without Losing Yourself in the Process. He has been featured in Inc., Psychology Today, The Harvard Business Review, and was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices for 2016.

  

 We discuss:

  

Lessons from interviews with students, teachers, police officers, rabbis, priests, entrepreneurs, goat farmers - and the common lessons of WHY people struggle to step outside their comfort zones

Why do people struggle to reach outside their comfort zones?

The vital importance of stepping outside your comfort zone

The 5 core psychological road blocks / challenges that make it hard to step outside our comfort zones

Authenticity/Identity/Self image

Likability

Competence

Resentment

Morality

Imposter Syndrome and how it can trap you in your comfort zone

Our “amazing capacity” to avoid discomfort and seek relief

What happens when people avoid uncomfortable situations

How we can often create imperfect substitutions for situations we want to avoid

How our minds rationalize excuses so that we can avoid uncomfortable things

“Fear is about predicting the future” and we are often poor predictors of our own futures

Specific tactics and strategies you can use to step outside of your comfort zone

How conviction can help you step outside your comfort zone and push you

Customizing and tweaking situations to make them slightly more bearable can help you take that first step

The danger of “catastrophizing” and always assuming the worst case scenario

The power of clarity and getting clear on the truth about what you want, and what the worst case scenarios are

How we can build resilience and make the pursuit of discomfort stick

The power of a learning orientation and growth mindset to give you the ability to step outside your comfort zone

Stepping outside your comfort zone starts in your mind

The power of desensitizing yourself to things outside your comfort zone, and what happens when you continue to have experiences outside your comfort zone

How to deliver bad news to people, fire someone, and have tough conversations

The dysfunctional conversations that might arise if you don’t know the right way to deliver bad news

The vital importance of mastering the art of small talk & strategies for mastering small talk

Why every meaningful relationship you’ve ever had (other than family) started with small talk

Focus first on building camaraderie and rapport, then trust

Listening, making connection, asking questions in an open ended way

Developing global dexterity and learning to act outside of your cultural comfort zone

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