Going Outside the Comfort Zone Personally and Professionally Yields Some Surprising Results

A few weeks ago I got the bike out the shed in my backyard, washed off the grime, pumped up the tires and took it for a quick spin around my neighborhood. I had been casting around for an exercise routine that would fit a new set of life circumstances and figured I’d give cycling a try. With free time in short supply this summer and a foot issue sidelining my usual running workout, I needed an efficient yet flexible means to achieving a daily endorphin-boost. Yoga offered mind/body benefits, but classes proved inconvenient. And a membership to the local racquet and swim club was a budget buster what with a house repair scheduled. The bike, a perky silver Trek 10-speed, beckoned.

I’m not alone these days in learning to adapt to change. On a personal level, many parents I know are re-thinking kids’ college plans. The economy having wreaked havoc on investments and employment, the “apply anywhere you want” approach seems a long-ago luxury. With annual tuitions at private institutions hovering around the $50k mark, families are now taking a serious second look at in-state schools and scrambling for scholarship dollars. Just a couple years ago, the majority of kids graduating from our local high school scattered far from home. However, as

I bump into kids around town, I hear reports on how much everyone loves going to UCONN.

The same dynamic is true professionally. I know several individuals within our fiber/fabric community who are adjusting to new jobs, new homes and entirely new careers. One long-time textile marketer was out of work for a year. He was determined to find a position either locally or with a company that allowed him to work from home in upstate New York. This Spring he landed a great job — in China. Recently he wrote, “I am 3 1/2 months into my China adventure. While living here certainly has some frustrations and challenges, overall it is a very positive experience. I am being exposed to an incredible mix of people, places and things. It is forcing me outside of my normal “comfort zone,” which in retrospect is a great thing, but day-to-day can sometimes be a bit overwhelming.”

As we all know too well, the textile business is no stranger to change and has been forced outside its “comfort zone” constantly in recent years. These days companies across the board are grappling with how to succeed with a supply chain that continues to constrict. And with an economy sputtering along, the challenges and frustrations relating to credit, inventory, delivery and price issues only seem to mount. As one textile exec commented, “The supply chain is getting so squeezed, things are starting to leak.”

Yet savvy managers are finding ways to adapt to this changing landscape. Big corporations are becoming increasingly nimble and flexible to react faster and more efficiently to the marketplace and small firms are developing innovative niche businesses. And for the most part they are succeeding in tapping into what resonates with consumers today. Who would guess, for example, that two hot categories in the market right now are men’s shapewear and organic denim at WalMart.

The goal, of course, is not just to survive, but thrive. That takes innovation, investment, creative partnerships and being open to new experiences.

Like working in China. Or developing a social media business plan. Or even just going for a bike ride. I’m now cycling miles outside the neighborhood, riding to the ball park, venturing to scenic spots along the shoreline and having, like my textile friend, a positive experience.

My daughter has a T-shirt emblazoned with a bike graphic and these words, “Keep Calm, Ride On.”
Not a bad strategy for all of us, personally and professionally.

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