Out of My Comfort Zone

I believe that only when you step out of your comfort zone, can you truly accomplish more than what you set out to do. Sometimes the slow and steady philosophy just doesn’t work. Sure you can choose to stick to it, but just keep in mind that you will always be behind those who have fully grasped every opportunity to surpass you. Much of my childhood revolved around swimming. It started out with going to the community pool merely to have fun, which I did. A few days after the beginning of fourth grade, I finally decided to enroll onto a swim club, and took my jovial and boisterous spirit with me.

I’m not going to lie. I was also an annoying brat back then, like those people in the audience who never seem to stop whispering comments back and forth when someone is speaking. I got thrills off of this in practice until one day, the coach whacked me on the head with a kickboard and screamed at me to “shut up and swim harder.”

That really meant something because during my early years on the team, I was never really motivated. Call it a form of social loafing, but I felt like as long as I swam fast enough to catch up to the swimmer in front of me, but slow enough to stay in front of the one in back of me, I was doing a fine job. At my first swim meet however, it felt painful being second to last in a stroke you thought you had it down. That was when I realized I needed to step it up a notch, and give it a metaphorical one hundred ten percent effort.

I pushed myself to the limits during the practices after my shameful defeat. I was finally stepping out from my comfort zone into one that, I admit, frightened me a bit, but also one that I was willing to experience. The proximity of chlorine vapors from the pool water made me cough as I gasped for air during the ten or so seconds of rest I got before I had to sprint another three hundred meters. Several times I was on the brink of regurgitating but managed to swallow it back down. I made sure each stroke made my muscles ache. I was excited to test myself on how long I could last in a sprint when nearly all my muscles were depleted of energy during the last set. After practice, if my shoulders hurt, I shrug it off thinking that whatever doesn’t kill me will make me stronger.

My efforts paid off at my next meet, earning me first place in the one hundred yard freestyle. Sure that’s nice, but how did I accomplish “more” than what I set out to do. I have noticed that this sport is not only a good way to engage in healthy competition, but also a road to lasting friendships. The unique people I have competed against have taught me to appreciate the diversity of my environment. Every dive into the cold water at five in the morning emphasized the knowledge that sacrifice always has its rewards at the end.

I learned not just how to win, but also a deeper collection of life lessons along the way, all by taking the risk and stepping far out of my comfort zone. But now I seek to expand my reach even further, as what was previously my fear, has now become my comfort.