Comfort Zone or Growth Zone? Your Books Might Be Holding You Back

We all have them! But although they offer a sense of security, comfort zones can turn into ruts that prevent growth … and that’s as true in the business realm as it is in our personal lives.  

The Sherpa Bookkeeping team work alongside business owners from a cross section of industries, all of whom are good at what they do. But here’s the thing, we’ve noticed some of the most significant growth spurts in their businesses happened after they’d climbed out of their comfort zones: they added a new product or service to their offering, put on another employee, or perhaps took the leap to a computerised system that freed up their time.  

Is your comfort zone really safe?

When you’re busy running your business, the familiar feels safe. It’s comfortable, predictable, with nothing unexpected lying in wait for you. But the flip side is that comfort zones often become ruts, deep enough so that you can’t see there are better ways to improve and grow your business. 

But it hurts!

Yes, climbing out of that rut is likely to be painful! You’re leaving behind what you know to be ‘safe’ and exploring the unknown. But that’s healthy; you’re considering other options and looking at your business landscape through new eyes - which is when you’re likely to notice opportunities you never knew existed. 

No matter whether you’re in hospitality, retail, a tradie, or a creative, sometimes quite small shifts are all that are required. For example, you might decide to entrust your bookkeeping to an expert and invest your time into growing your business instead – and as a bonus, your newly appointed bookkeeper comes back to you with some exciting data and ideas that help that growth.  

Taking the leap

Our brains are wired to keep us safe, which is one of the reasons why the comfort zone is so appealing. Meanwhile, standing on the brink of something new and unknown can bring on a few sleepless nights and not a little angst. But if managed thoughtfully and strategically, you can do this:  

• Find an expert: Whether it’s your books, business systems, or simply not being able to see a way forward, there are specialists who can help.

• Baby steps: Attempting to overhaul your entire business all at once is likely to be a step too far. Take note of areas that are holding you back, and one by one, change the way you manage them.

• Winning: You’ve taken a successful step forward? Then it’s time to break out the balloons and streamers! Every step, no matter how big or small, is worthy of celebration – and you’ll be amazed how acknowledging those wins will help your confidence to grow. 

• Know where you’re going: Your business’ metrics are all-important. Measuring you progress against your chosen performance indicators will help keep you on track, secure in the knowledge that you’re heading in the right direction. Not sure which indicators you should choose? See our first dot point!  

Don’t be the Lone Ranger

Climbing out of your comfort zone can be downright scary, which is why the Sherpa Bookkeeping team is here to help. We get that it’s frightening, but it’s also where all the opportunities are. So take the first step, get in touch and we’ll help you to plan an exciting way forward.