Why Doing Hard Things
MATTERS MORE AS WE AGE
5 months of training… and a weekend on the mountain to put it all to the test. The 29029 TRAIL is no small feat… 3 mountain marathons in 3 days. And like any big challenge, things don’t always go as planned. After 27 miles and nearly 10,000 feet of elevation, my body felt strong, but I was fighting off a cold that had settled in my lungs.
So I made a choice. Not to push. Not to prove anything. But to protect my health.
Sometimes, the strongest move is knowing when to pause.
Hiking almost 80 miles with 16,000 feet of elevation was definitely a stretch for me…a step outside of my comfort zone. But I knew the process and training would be extraordinary, and I love the 29029 community.
Here’s what I learned... the real win wasn’t crossing a finish line. It was showing up every day and becoming the kind of person who sees a challenge and says, “Let’s go.”
Your comfort zone is like an invisible bubble that surrounds your psyche. Or, imagine it as a series of concentric circles. As you move through life, this bubble constantly expands and constricts. When you’re in the center of those concentric circles, you’re comfortable. But by the time you reach the 4th or 5th circle, you’re so unfamiliar that you don’t go there.
A lot of times, we don’t venture outside our comfort zone because of fear. We’re afraid of looking silly. We’re afraid of not being good at something. We’re afraid of failing.
We live in a world that’s quick to label wins and losses… where you either “finish” or you “fail.” But that black-and-white thinking keeps so many people from even starting.
What if your version of success looks different?
If we label our experiences as failures, we start to doubt ourselves—and we stop taking chances, we stop taking risks. As Wayne Gretzky said, “You miss 100% of the goals you don’t attempt.”
For me, success meant waking up every day with purpose. It meant five months of consistent effort. It meant feeling more connected to my body and my breath than ever before.
As we age, it becomes even more crucial to challenge ourselves. Not because we have something to prove, but because stepping outside our comfort zone is how we stay vibrant, curious, and connected.
Maybe you’re curious about learning AI, starting that business, writing your memoir, or taking up painting. Whatever it is, the act of beginning, of being willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when trying something new, is where the magic happens.
I’m always reminding myself to stop measuring my life by someone else’s yardstick. The finish line? Just one moment. The real progress? It’s who I’m becoming.
By leaning into the discomfort, by leaning into the uncertainty, there is growth and a delight in knowing you can attempt anything you want. If you stay curious, you’ll adapt, find new sources of energy, and discover aspects about yourself inner strength and resilience. There’s no failure when you create your own measuring stick.
3 Ways to Step Outside Your Comfort Zone
1. Embrace The Beginner’s Mind
Growth isn’t optional… it’s essential. When you stop learning, you start shrinking. The most vibrant people I know share one trait: they believe they can still improve, still surprise themselves, still become more than they were yesterday. This mindset shift changes everything. Instead of thinking “I’m too old to learn that” or “I’ve never been good at this,” you start asking “What if I could?” When you truly believe you can develop new skills, you give yourself permission to try things that once felt impossible.
2. Find Your Growth Tribe
The people around you either encourage your expansion or quietly discourage it. You need cheerleaders who get excited about your goals, not people who remind you of all the reasons something won’t work. Look for friends who are pushing their own boundaries… who see trying something new as brave, not foolish. This might be a mentor, a coach, or a group of supportive friends. When you surround yourself with people who believe in growth, their energy becomes contagious.
3. Reframe Your Relationship with Setbacks
Every accomplished person has failed along the way. The difference? They don’t let those moments define them. When you hit a wall, get curious instead of critical. Setbacks aren’t proof you can’t do something… they’re information about what to try next. The real failure is letting fear keep you from starting at all.
Mindscape’s Visualizations Helped Push Me Out of My Comfort Zone
Transform your mind, transform your life with KS MINDSCAPE — a collection of 11 premium guided visualizations, instantly accessible right from your phone.
Each audio ranges from 10-30 minutes, perfect for fitting into your busy schedule.
Whether you need help sleeping, focusing, staying motivated, or finding your inner peace, these professionally recorded visualizations are your on-demand mental wellness toolkit.
Simply download to your phone and press play whenever you need to reset, recharge, or realign your mindset.
– Dreamtime – Your pathway to deep, restful sleep
– Be Consistent with Exercise – Strengthen your fitness motivation
– Concentration – Sharpen your mental acuity
– Releasing Negativity – Let go of what no longer serves you
– Success One Step at a Time – Build momentum towards your goals
– Tap Into Infinite Energy – Access your inner vitality
– Success Timeline – Visualize and manifest your ideal future
– Enchanted Forest – Journey into deep relaxation
– Calming Anxiety – Transform self-limiting thoughts into empowering ones
– Reduce stress and anxiety
– Enhance focus and concentration
– Improve sleep quality
– Boost motivation
– Support personal growth
– Increase mental clarity
– Build confidence