Living outside one's comfort zone provides tremendous rewards but requires managing risk and discomfort. The speaker finds living outside their comfort zone through ultramarathon running, which involves training for over 400 hours and racing for 20+ hours to complete 100+ mile distances. While uncomfortable, it allows them to develop mental toughness, new experiences, and perspective. Their next challenge is to continue pushing themselves further outside their comfort zone.

1. Living Life Outside Your
Comfort Zone
18th December 2019 - Company Lunch Sharing

2. Learning Objective
Sharing the Enjoyment of living outside ones ‘’Comfort Zone’’
and how it could benefit others.
Especially if you work in a hyper-growth
startup environment!

3. Your Comfort Zone
‘’The behavioural space where your activities and behaviors fit a
routine and pattern that minimize stress and risk.’’
Ideally you want to achieve “Optimal Anxiety” for Maximum Learning
Anxiety

4. For me it starts with,
Running Ultras.
‘’An ultramarathon is usually on the order of 50 or 100 miles.’’
Competition and Recognition
It’s a Lifestyle & State of Mind

5. Wrong Perception
What my mum thinks I do. What my friends thinks I do. What society think I do.
What my coach thinks I do. What I think I do. What I really I do.

6. Manage Complexity*
Develop Mental Toughness*
Makes the Impossible Possible*
Gives New Life Experiences*
Brings Perspective*
Offers Freedom &
Community*
Improves General Fitness Provides Balance*
Why? = The Purpose
Why bother? Why do it?
*No unique to Ultra Running

7. 30% 40% 6% 24%
How? = The Process
Specific actions to realise my Why.
168 hrs

8. The result of my Why.
170 starters 18/170
102 km
What? = The Result

9. What? = The Experience
Weekdays - 5.30am or 10.30pm
Weekends - 6am
Total: ~ 10 hrs
Recovery & Myofascial
release
Speedework, hills
reps and time on feet
Running technique &
GAIT
Test running gear & race
strategy
Nutrition & quality
sleep
Remember the
Why!
Measure
Happiness
Cross-training &
strength
400 hrs of Training
Research course &
knowledge
20 hrs to Run 102km
5,000m Climb
..is the result of my Why.

10. It’s More Than Just
Finishing
‘’To live your life outside your comfort zone, is hard,
but in return can be so tremendously rewarding &
enriching.’’

11. Back to Race Strategies
8,000 calories
80g of carbs/hour
or
300 calories/hour
*DNF*
Sweat Loss
1,200 ml / hour
Sodium Loss
600mg / 1,000 ml
*DNF*
Pulse Rate for Pace
Walk 40%
Run 60%
Train/Test Gear
Know the Course
Contingency Plans
Prepare
Adapt
Repeat

12. What Goes Through
Your Mind?
What do you think
about while running
for 20 hours?
I always give the same
answer: “Everything
and Nothing.”
Look at the beautiful
sunrise. Let’s admire it.
Nah, keep running.
Oh Wow, we
are doing this!
Don’t Forget to
eat. Eat.
Weee this is so much
fun! The forest is pretty.
Whoa. A little
dizzy, a little
bonkish. Eat
more.
F$%k. Is my race done?
Pick up your feet, don’t
fall again.
This totally
sucks. I am just
going to walk it
in.
Starting to get dark
again, time to put on
the headlamp. Feels
Amazing
You said a mile
to the next aid
station a mile
ago.
Done? Beer me!
10km
40km
70km
20km
50km
80km
30km
60km
90km

13. ‘’Outside Comfort Zone’’
Exponentiality
40km 60km 100km +
P = Probability, D = Distance,
C^ = Calamity, and V = Severity.
D x P x C^ x V = ‘’Outside Comfort Zone’’
● Dehydration
● Blisters
● Chafing
● Exhaustion
● Cramping
● Stomach Issues
● Aches and Pains
● Bee Stings
● Weather (Rain, Heat, Cold…)
● Terrain (Mud, Hills, Rocks, Roots…)
● Cell Phone Died (No Selfies)
● Cell Phone is Charged (Too Many Selfies)
C^ :
● Grasp this concept and accept it.
● Prepare. Adapt. Repeat.
● Welcome the “Pain Cave’’.
● Beware of the chair - don’t sit.
● “I want to Quit” & the Why question.
● No injury - keep on going.
Comfort Zone Level
Where the
Magic
Happens

14. Why Not Try Yourself?
Scenery will spur you on Pace is much slower It’s a mental game
There’s lots of food Train = Success

15. How to Start?
Take your time in
Making Decisions
Do everyday things
Differentially
Trust Yourself in
Snap Decisions
Do it in
Small Steps
Go back to
Comfort Zone

16. Warning!
The Thin Line between Passion & Obsession
What it all boils down to is Control & Discipline. When you cross the line from passion
into obsession, you lose control and the lack of it can rob you of the joy.

17. My Next Challenge
To be continued...

18. Outside The Comfort Zone
Final Thoughts
1. Where you can
feel most alive
2. Find new passions
and discover new
talents
3. Helps you
build self
confidence
4. Fills your heart
and expands your
spirit
5. Makes you
an interesting
person
6. Develops character

19. Remember….