What Pushes You Out of Your Comfort Zone?

For me, it was performing stand-up comedy.

Last month, I took the plunge and faced my fears at an open-mic night at The Newmarket Hotel in Brisbane.

Although I’m used to standing in front of groups as a facilitator, stand-up comedy is a whole different challenge.

It involved a dozen wannabe comedians standing in front of a packed room and speaking about what we considered funny – for five minutes. I can hear you saying; “Have you lost your mind??!

But this experience reminded me just how valuable it is to embrace new challenges, especially those ones that push you out of your comfort zone!

My experience was terrifying, and yet exhilarating. Anyway, I learnt to craft and deliver a story that made sense for the audience’s point of view, with enough banter and hubris to entertain a baying crowd.

More than anything, it reinforced a fundamental truth about communication: in comedy, it’s one-way delivery—you put something out there, and if the audience doesn’t respond, you’re left hanging. But in facilitation, it’s a two-way exchange.

In a workshop, every reaction matters. If someone raises an eyebrow or shifts in their seat, you get immediate feedback, and you can adjust in the moment to keep everyone engaged. Comedy is harder because you don’t get that back-and-forth—if you miss the audience’s point of view, it could be too late. There’s only a short window to make an impact.

What I took away from the experience

• Give it a go. Having a growth mindset is key. I like to think I had developed a growth mindset about the whole thing, and the past several weeks have been part of that process. Psychologist Carol Dweck coined the term in 2006, explaining that a growth mindset is the belief that abilities can be developed, whereas a fixed mindset assumes talent is set in stone. Dweck says, “A growth mindset is when people believe their abilities can be developed. A fixed mindset is when people think, I just have a certain amount and that’s it.” So, rather than saying to myself ‘I can’t do it’, I’ve been telling myself ‘I can’t do it YET’…
• Start by journaling. Writing down your thoughts—and what makes you laugh—is a great way to develop material.I do this and even keep the journal by my bedside for any overnight flashes of inspiration.
• Know your audience. Different crowds have different senses of humour. And in the workplace, humour needs to be respectful and appropriate. A live audience reacts differently than a virtual one.
• Stay true to your voice. Comedians Trevor Noah says authenticity is your competitive edge—what makes you laugh will likely resonate with others.

Irrespective of whether you’re facilitating a workshop or delivering a punchline, I will say that connection and confidence are key!

What’s the last thing that pushed you out of your comfort zone?

Looking to Improve Team Communication? At Edmonds Facilitation, we help teams break down barriers, spark real conversations, and collaborate effectively. If you’d like to create a more engaged and aligned team, we would be happy to discuss how we can help.

BreezeWax Comedians (!) L-R: Tim Hughes, Damien Edmonds and Murray Spiers.