If the first thing you do when you start a new job is unpack your favourite mug and pin photos around your desk, you’re creating a comfort zone. And a new home just doesn’t feel right until you’ve found the kettle and made that first cup of tea, right?

As humans, we’re hardwired to crave comfort and familiarity. Rhodes says that we “tend to try to build comfort zones everywhere we arrive, replicating things we know and recognise.”

She continues: “We really do love our comfort zones. Nothing stressful happens there. We’re always achieving at a predictable level and can be perfectly happy, relaxed and content. It’s a risk-free zone where we rarely face threats or unpredictable surprises – we have a routine in there that is unchallenged and allows us to feel in control.”

Liking our comfort zones can also be linked to a fear of failure. I don’t know about you, but I don’t really enjoy making mistakes or falling short. It’s tough for even the most emotionally mature person to accept, and we tend to go out of our way to avoid situations where failure is a risk. That means we can hold ourselves back from opportunities, in an attempt to shield ourselves from potential shame and humiliation.

So why rock the boat? Given the choice, it’s natural to want to stay safe.

The bad news is that constantly operating within our comfort zones inhibits our growth, both literally and emotionally. While feeling secure and confident are undoubtedly great attributes, there are a few compelling reasons to feel the fear.

Feel the fear and do it anyway: why we should all step outside our comfort zones