Transcript for accessibility purposes:
“If you feel safe in the area that you’re working in, you’re not working in the right area. Always go a little further into the water than you feel you’re capable of being in. Go a little bit out of your depth, and when you don’t feel that your feet are quite touching the bottom, you’re just about in the right place to do something exciting.”
David Bowie
The late David Bowie is one of my favourite singers and songwriters. I spent many evenings listening to his work and he played a big part in shaping my musical personality.
Turns out he was also a very wise man. Although I hate the expression "moving out of your comfort zone" (which is why I didn't use it on the title) this is pretty much what this quote is about.
I think it's unrealistic for anyone to move too far away from your comfort zone because that is the recipe for frustration but taking a few steps in that direction is a very smart decision.
In my case, I found out I perform better when I find a good balance between being comfortable enough to do solid work but also being moderately challenged and motivated to learn and grow.
It may be hard to strike that balance but I believe growth doesn't happen within your comfort zone nor too far away from it, but somewhere in between.