Today, I had my first Jiu-Jitsu competition, to which I arrived quite calm despite the intensity of the event. I started training in this martial art 8 months ago, and I have been learning and preparing since then for this day. This makes me think that I, and many others, prepare in a similar way before crossing the line of our comfort zone.
I wouldn't have thought about competing with only one month of practice, even with three. First, I needed not only to understand the sport but also to make the practice of it a comfortable territory. When I first arrived at the academy, it was not comfortable. In fact, at that moment, when I arrived at the academy, I was crossing my comfort zone; I didn't know what would happen or what the atmosphere would be like. But for months before going for the first time, I was already considering the possibility of doing it, something I kept postponing out of fear.
It is precisely fear that often delimits the border of our comfortable territory. The fear I felt when I first knocked on the door of the academy was not very different from the fear I felt when I signed up for the competition, and probably not very different from the fear every time we do something that takes us to unknown territories, like a first date, a job interview, a competition, or an exam. Another interesting characteristic that all these events have is that they are tests that we must overcome. When we arrive at that unknown place, they will not be waiting for us with a cup of coffee. During these tests, we will be examined not only by the people in charge but also by the eyes of judgmental, critical spectators, or even by those who actively wish for us to fail. One can manage to ignore these and focus on the monster in front of them, but there is one critic from which there is no escape. And of all the critics in the audience, oneself is the toughest of all. Before leaving the known territory, our mind will calculate every expected result and set the expectation of coming out victorious.
Our own expectations can be great motivators, but they can also betray us with disappointments and the bitterness of having to leave with our heads down and a "better luck next time" at best. All of this is terrifying because not meeting the mark will not only mean failure, but it also means having to recover from the emotional weight of having failed and having to return to familiar territory to heal the wounds and regain strength. It is this possibility of recovery that makes it worthwhile, even if our failed attempt was our only chance to achieve it. Having fought the battle will have changed us, and we will then be more experienced and more aware of ourselves and our abilities. Also, in most situations, the possibility of trying again will still be there.
Being able to identify our comfort zone and step out of it is one of the skills that make us adapt to new conditions and consequently be the most successful animal species. As Darwin said in the theory of species, "The species that survive are not the strongest, but those that adapt best to change." Stepping out of our comfort zone does not mean that this territory will change for us, but rather, we adapt to it, not making the new territory a more comfortable place, but making ourselves more capable.
Hundreds of animal species that have inhabited the same habitats, practiced the same hunting techniques, and consumed the same food for thousands of years have become extinct due to their inability to adapt to changes. Humans are the epitome of adaptability, and since adaptation is one of our greatest strengths, it is also our responsibility to adapt. Our ability to adapt is crucial for the preservation of our species and for continuous improvement. We enhance our adaptability by venturing out of our comfort zone repeatedly, becoming more adept at facing new challenges, acquiring new skills, and embracing change. This is essential because life can present us with unfamiliar territory at any moment without warning.
Today, society has made life an increasingly comfortable place and continues to do so to the point where we can now rely on machines to think for us. This modernity strips us of one of the most basic survival skills we have, leaving us vulnerable in the face of life's catastrophes. We are becoming more fragile and dependent on a system that could collapse at any moment, and we all know that it is unsustainable.
Not everything is wrong with our technology, but just as a chef develops a firm hand to cut with a sharp knife quickly, precisely, and without cutting himself, we must tame our minds and empower consciousness to avoid damage to our own minds, which these new tools are capable of. Not allowing comfort to take over our lives and being able to reclaim our fundamental skills is vital for humanity. And probably a new unknown territory by itself, where we will have to challenge ourselves to leave a very comfortable comfort zone and this time never return. Realizing the gilded cage, choosing to be free despite its comforts, choosing to have a story, an adventure, not to be a shadow or to settle for living in fictional realities or someone else's.
It is curious how modern society has encouraged us not to be so hard on ourselves, not to set such high expectations, with its participation medals and rewarding the mediocrity of many. Stepping out of the comfort zone is not easy, and the critical eye of our expectations is heavy. But it is only with high expectations that we will have the strength to prepare better, to get back up, to heal our wounds and try again. Because it is by trying repeatedly that the unknown territory becomes familiar, and after having traveled it time and time again, the nerves no longer weigh, nor do the critical eyes or the high expectations. That is how suddenly that unknown territory is no longer unknown. And we are no longer the same as before but a more capable, apt, and adapted version. That is the moment when we are already very comfortable, and it is time to prepare for a new expedition to a new unknown territory.
We cannot settle for being the ultimate specialists in a subject. Leaving the areas where we are ignorant is where we can grow and learn more. This is how we become better at adapting to what life puts in front of us. Stop hiding from what scares us and approach it to observe carefully and realize that fear is showing us the places where we can still improve. Let's use fear as a compass that shows us the way to be better every day.
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