Guest post by Kathleen Wood, author, blogger and founder Kathleen Wood Partners

Every once in awhile I find myself on what I call the "comfort zone plateau." I recently just jumped out of a comfort zone plateau. Basically, I was working hard, extremely customer focused and maximizing results. Many people would applaud this type of work effort because it does produce amazing results, creates forward progress and delivers high levels of customer satisfaction. At the same time I was operating in a comfort zone plateau. Otherwise stated, I was keeping very active while not expanding, creating or taking risks - all necessary ingredients for success.

When I am working in a comfort zone plateau, I can justify not doing other things in my business or my life because of how busy I am. I can nobly focus on the priorities of my work and can rationalize to others to why I continue to work at this unbelievable pace. I can be drawn into the comfort of being busy and checking off my to-do list. However, part of the journey of success is to grow and expand. The comfort zone plateau actually prevents growing and expanding because we are comforted by being busy "doing."

What does a comfort zone plateau look and feel like? It has characteristics like predictability, minimal risk, and it allows for complete control. It feels like you are operating on "auto-pilot." It can be a very alluring place because your schedule is completely filled with activities. There is no room for expansion, innovation or opportunity but that's ok because you are so busy!

How do you get in a comfort zone plateau? This is an interesting question, sometimes you get there over time because you stay in a constant state of busyness. Other ways you get on a comfort zone plateau include fear, fatigue, lack of inspiration or a general pile up of everyday challenges - essentially losing sight of the forest between the trees. I have found for many that the comfort zone plateau is more often the result of unaddressed fear. Such as the fear of success, failure, being wrong, being vulnerable, making a mistake, being judged, looking different, worrying about what people will say and the list goes on and on.

Here is an important point of clarity - everyone lands on comfort zone plateaus. In fact, sometimes the more you grow and develop the more you actually plateau. I have even seen with people who get so close to achieving a goal and then they plateau. The key is to recognize when you are on a plateau and then move yourself off of it. So, the real question to ask is "how do you move off of a comfort zone plateau?"

The following are a few tips and techniques:

1) Face your fear and extinguish it. Identifying your fear and then facing it down is a key step to moving yourself off the comfort zone plateau. If you need a Fear Extinguisher, please visit my website and download a Fear Extinguisher under The Best Shift tools.

2) If you believe that fear has not put you on a comfort zone plateau then evaluate where you are spending your time. How much time are you spending on what you love, like, and dislike in your life? Start shifting your time towards activities that you love and like in your life. This is a full-proof solution for moving you off the plateau because it automatically creates expansion. Again, if you need a quick tool download a Love, Like, and Dislike Checklist from my website.

3) Another simple tip - let yourself off the hook for being on a plateau. Instead of beating yourself up about it - use it as a "cue." A cue is a signal that lets you know that you need to make a shift. When you find yourself on the plateau take it as a cue that you need to shift off your plateau and to your next level of growth, success, or even if it starts with a shift to a new perspective.

4) Start re-engaging in "creativity" again. These could be small steps like - write a response to this blog post, become active in a FOHBOH group and engage in the conversation or post your own blog.

5) Stretch yourself with some non-risk "risks." These could be steps like becoming a member of "It Starts with Us," taking a new assignment at work, registering for the People Report's Summer Camp, or finally committing to that one goal you have wanted to achieve and you keep pushing it off.

Finally, think about this, where would be today if people like Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Norman Brinker, Ray Kroc, Julia Child, Alice Waters and so many others would have stayed in their comfort zones? You can start shifting today by celebrating your individuality, creativity and risk-taking. Most importantly, make time to open yourself to the possibilities of life, not just the projects. In fact, I will make it even easier - the first 10 people that post a comment to my blog this morning I will send a complimentary copy of my book, The Best Shift of Your Life - The Restaurant Manager's Guide to Success Outside the Restaurant. Go for it - take one small step to jump off out your comfort zone plateau!

You can comment here or jump on over to Kathleen's blog at KathleenWoodPartners