For Great Ventures - Unfreeze and Venture Forward

Everything you want and don't currently have is justseveral other key components of individual behavior
outside your comfort zone. Your comfort zone isand organizational culture. Awareness of these
made up by beliefs, values, and habits. It also includesconcepts and issues is an important early aspect for
your current ability to respond to the results of youcreating great ventures.
are getting and the dynamics of your circumstancesYou need to be aware of your current beliefs,
or environments.values, and habits and how they might limit your
If you just maintain that comfort zone you willability to create a great venture. You should also be
continue to get the same results. In order to get theaware of the other options available to you for
things you want and don't currently have, you mustbeliefs, values, habits, and behaviors that will build the
proactively expand your comfort zone. After all,health culture necessary for a great venture.
doing the same thing over and over again and"If you're in a comfort zone, afraid to venture out,
expecting different results in one definition of insanity!Remember that all winners were at one time filled
"If you remain in your comfort zone you will not gowith doubt."
any further."- Unknown
- Catherine PulsiferHowever, to create a great venture (the noun), you
So, your comfort zone is your self-created limitationsmust proactively venture (the verb) forward outside
for yourself and your ventures. If you want to haveyour current comfort zone to make it happen. In
a great venture, you must unlock or unfreeze yourother words, you must be willing to dare to go
boundaries for performance. You must use yourforward or take the risk to go forward outside your
current strengths, build on them, and step outsidecurrent comfort zone in order to build create a great
your comfort zone in applying them.venture. Awareness and knowledge are not enough.
My wife attended an Unfreezing Retreat this pastYou must have a proactive plan to venture forward!
year as part of the culture changing efforts in theIf you will truly embrace unfreezing your current
organization at which she works. Most, if not all,beliefs, values, and habits and intentionally venture
employees at this very large organization (30,000 toforward on a new path, a great venture is possible.
40,000 employees) will be attending this retreat overIf you ignore this key commitment, great frustration
a multi-year period. This retreat helps the participantsand great failure will inevitably follow.
look at their behavioral comfort zones and how they"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of
are impacting the culture of the organization. It alsopreparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
provides new options for behavior and interaction- Colin Powell
that lead to a healthy culture.Frustration and failure are part of the any great
Life loses its meaning when we get stuck up injourney. The right mental commitment to venture
comfort zone.forward will allow you to respond to these
- M.K. Sonifrustrations and failures in ways that will lead to great
This Senn-Delaney Workshop addresses values, thesuccess!
mood elevator, the human operating system and© Copyright 2010 Jon L. Iveson, Ph.D.