As business owners and as people, we need to belong to a community. But if you only have a competitive mindset, you will find yourself struggling to make connections and will feel isolated. Getting out of your comfort zone and actually taking that first step into a community can be really challenging. 

Today, we’re going to talk about how you can leave your comfort zone and step into a world of intentional community where you and other entrepreneurs can help each other to grow.

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Leave the “I Can’t” Mindset Behind

A big part of your ability to step out of your comfort zone is your attitude towards community. It can be hard to think about community as a helpful mindset to have, but you need to think about business competition like swimming competitively. When you’re swimming, you’re not racing the other swimmers. Instead, you’re focusing on beating your best time. 

You might not be the fastest person in the pool, but if you’re able to beat your best time, then that means you’ve won. The healthiest growth mindset is realizing that you are your own competition, and once you’ve embraced that you can make those connections and take those steps that you need to move forward. 

People are wired to live in community with each other. There’s so much possibility when we do life together that it just doesn’t make sense to try the alternative. Instead of thinking that you can’t make connections and still grow your business, try to embrace the fact that you can. It’s worked for millions of people, and it will work for you.

First Steps

Once you’ve decided to push yourself out of your comfort zone, you need to figure out what your comfort zone actually is. You must identify the boundaries of your comfort zone. This looks different for everyone, but your boundaries are what determine what the first step towards leaving your comfort zone looks like. 

A lot of this has to do with personality. An introverted or shy person might have a first step that doesn’t look like much to a highly extroverted, social person– but the only person who can determine the size of a first step is you. Everyone’s experiences are different and unique, and acknowledging that is crucial to determining the step you take.

Embrace Vulnerability

The next thing to do is embrace your vulnerability. Everyone struggles with vulnerability and letting our guard down long enough to let people in. This can make it hard to meet people on a more-than-superficial level. We all have our boundaries, our guard walls that we mentally put up to protect ourselves. It’s hard to let that guard down– it protects us! But by establishing little micro-moments of trust, we can get our feet in the door by making tiny connections. 

What does a micro-moment of trust look like? It can center on anything that you have in common with the person you’re talking to. It’s a connection centered on the most basic similarities– maybe you’re both photographers, or you have a friend in common, or you watch the same TV show. Whatever it is, it’s an instant where you can build up this connection and get them on your side. Suddenly, you’re not just a stranger– you’re someone they can connect with. You’re a potential friend.

It’s important to start small with these steps. If you’re in a meeting, and there are twenty people there, you don’t have to establish trust and vulnerability with all of them at once. That’s completely overwhelming! Instead, you can start by just trying to get to know one person there. Start a conversation by asking about them and the things you have in common. 

Find out who they are, what they’re interested in, and find out what they’re looking forward to that you can celebrate with them later on. By simply talking to one person, you can lay the groundwork for building a larger community. One person might not seem like a lot, but by pushing yourself just a little bit, you can find yourself outside of the boundaries of your comfort zone.

Finally: remember that everyone starts from the same place. Everyone who’s started a business once Googled “how to start a business.” If you approach people with an honest and vulnerable heart, you’ll find that nobody is as intimidating as you might think. You just need to take that first step.

If you’re looking for a community of supportive entrepreneurs to join, our Rainmaker Family might be just the place for you. We can teach you the skills you need to improve your finances, make money, and grow your wealth in a supportive, family-friendly environment. Sign up with us today to get started!