How to Ditch Your Comfort Zone and Succeed Online
Reading Time: 8 minutes 
In the 1990s, setting up a website and getting found online was easy—at least compared to what is involved now.
Early adopters jumped on the World Wide Web bandwagon — I was an early, early adopter. It was a “build it, and they will come” environment. But that’s now ancient history in terms of Internet time.
There also wasn’t the magnitude of competition either. Try to find a topic or product that isn’t saturated with hundreds of thousands of other websites covering the same thing. (We’ll cover that in more detail later…)
So, here’s what we’ll cover today, so you know what you need to do, which most likely will require you to step out of your comfort zone to succeed.
Don’t do the Same-o Same-o
Same is defined as “being one or identical though having different names, aspects, etc.”
That sums up what you cannot be when having a website today. Whether you are a blogger or have a business website, this applies to you. You cannot be the same.
You have to be willing to grow, learn, and be challenged — then accept that challenge. That is at the heart of having a website.
While it is pretty easy to set up a blog or a new website, thanks to WordPress, the tough work begins after that. Getting exposure and discovering that you are the “same” makes getting traction all the more difficult. Then add all the details of running an actual business.
The sooner you make a concerted effort to be not the “same” but incredibly different, the sooner you’ll start getting noticed and seeing more results. And that, my friends, means leaving your comfort zone.
comfort zone ~ noun:
an environment or situation in which a person feels secure or at ease; also figuratively, an established lifestyle in which a person feels comfortable as long as there is no drastic change
Nothing online resembles the above definition. If you want online success, you need to be prepared to leave your comfort zone in the dust. Know that you will not be comfortable.
You are going to need to learn new things—lots of new things—test strategies, and become the one-of-a-kind powerhouse that only you can be.
Are You Unique, Different, Exclusive?
To not be the same but rather unique, different, exclusive, particular, rare, or uncommon will require you to take some risks. Ask yourself, and be honest about it — do you tend to stay in your comfort zone?
If the answer is “yes” or even “sorta,” it’s time to step out. It’s time for you to be a fish out of water. Only those who push the limits of what they think they can learn or can do succeed online.
There is no more room for the “same” online.
Once you are willing to leave your comfort zone, you’ll find that you are more open-minded, almost magically. You’ll be ready to seriously consider new concepts, methodologies, and practices, as well as the reality of what it takes to survive and thrive online.
Risk is a Habit for Successful Netrepreneurs
Ask any successful Netrepreneur, and they will tell you they leave their comfort zone regularly. Netrepreneurs try new things — all the time.
Not all attempts may produce the results they desire. But they try to learn something new with every effort. This is because they know what they learn can be applied and improved.
“But I’m an honest person with a great product!” That’s what every site owner believes should be enough. But, unfortunately, that’s not enough to be found, get exposure, and stand out.
To build a following, to create that emotional connection that is so important to building your tribe of customers, that statement is not sufficient. You will have to prove your honesty and build your reputation over time. Something many online users lack patience for.
Now, let’s get to the basics of differentiating yourself and standing out online so your blog or website can get off to a good start.
Get ready to leave your comfort zone.
Let’s Do a Search
Go to your favorite search engine and do a quick search using the primary keyphrase (2-3 words) that you think online users will use to find what you have to offer. How many results are there? Five figures, six figures — seven?
There’s your competition. The number of websites that are already ranking for what you do. They have an established online presence and a history you haven’t yet earned. A little overwhelming, right?
This won’t be the last time you’ll feel overwhelmed. But as you learn and step out of your comfort zone, those feelings will subside and be fewer and farther between.
What’s next?
Most folks I work with get stuck thinking about their site in terms of what a website “should be.” Everyone has a different approach to that. Each business and site owner is different and has their own vision.
Being benign, or “what you should be,” isn’t enough to stand out from others who are already established in doing the same thing. The fact is, you don’t have to look or sound like everyone else.
Things to Consider Right Now
How do you portray yourself?
What do you have to offer? Blah, blah, blah about what you do that is no different than anyone else is boring and will not differentiate you from anyone else.
Develop your site to portray a unique personality and story. Edgy, empathetic, sincere, genuine. Words have meaning. Use them to show what makes you distinctive.
Talk about your passions, what you stand for, and exactly why you do what you do. Why should visitors do business, subscribe, or join your site? Tell them why you are different — with emotion.
Never underestimate the fact that this is a visual medium.
Try not to look like everyone else. For example, you want folks to land on your site or blog and immediately realize they’ve never seen a website like yours. This draws them in and encourages them to poke around and discover more.
First, you start with a contemporary, professional design featuring high-quality graphics and images. You then work to personalize everything you can to be more “you.”
You do this with unique images and a color scheme. Then, you integrate those colors and images consistently in everything you do—on your site, social media, business cards—everything. Folks will see it and know it’s you. That’s called branding.
Product or service differentiation.
You need to provide convincing answers to all of these questions. Your content needs to be written in a way that makes folks click the Subscribe or Add to Cart buttons because they must have what you are offering.
You can’t be everything to everyone.
So don’t try. Determine how to target those folks you know who will read your blog or want your product or service.
Ditching Your Comfort Zone is Uncomfortable
Don’t worry about entering uncharted territory, whether learning something techie or trying a new strategy. I can tell you from experience that no one who steps out of their comfort zone finds it easy. It isn’t.
It is common not to be completely comfortable learning the intricacies of the technology relevant to what you want to accomplish. We don’t relish diving into uncharted waters to see what may or may not happen. But we don’t let that stop us; we do it anyway.
It Happens to Everyone
You are not alone in feeling like a fish out of water sometimes. You need to get used to that feeling when running a website and doing business online. There is always something new to learn around every corner.
I remember one of my most stressful comfort-zone desertions while working with databases many years ago. I had to empty some information from one of my site’s databases.
Not the whole database, just the tables that contained invalid and no-longer-needed data. Yep, that was freaking me out because if I messed up, it would be a mess. But I knew I would have the know-how if I just sucked it up and learned. I remember how nervous I was.
Before I clicked the appropriate buttons, I checked and double-checked that I was doing the right thing. I remember thinking (and saying a little prayer) that I wouldn’t crash or destroy the whole database.
Once I completed the process, I was relieved to have done it correctly and pleasantly surprised by how smoothly it went. That night, I had several shots of Ouzo to celebrate!
Doing this task is now a no-brainer. All because I pushed myself to learn and challenged myself to complete that task, risking possible Armageddon. It wouldn’t have been Armageddon, but that’s how we all feel when we take significant risks on something new.
What About You?
When was the last time you left your comfort zone? A bit of discomfort can be a great motivator and downright exhilarating, driven by the anticipation of the unknown ahead.
Keep reminding yourself of the potential benefits and results as you push through. Stop now and jot down a list of ways you can challenge yourself. Then start checking off those boxes!
At your service,
