As human beings, we’re wired to seek comfort to help us feel calm and balanced. Unfortunately, when we’re comfortable, we’re not often at our most productive, which is why it can be so crucial to learn to step outside of our comfort zone from time to time.

Of course, this isn’t as easy as it sounds. We’re all afraid of the first step. After all, the most uncomfortable part of any journey is the initiation—going from being stationary to acting. But once you set things in motion and leave your comfort zone, that initial discomfort often fades, allowing your momentum to build. It’s just a matter of wanting to change, and of finding the courage to take that first step.

As hard as it can be, stepping outside of your comfort zone on a regular basis can offer you many advantages. Here are three major benefits of stepping out of your comfort zone.

Opportunity for Growth

As adults, we love settling into our own our routine lifestyle. Back when we were children, we may have been natural risk-takers, but as we move from childhood to adulthood, we learn over time to be afraid of failing.

However, we had the right idea as children, at least in terms of growth! Regularly facing challenges and taking risks can allow us to learn, to understand new things, and to reach new levels. Without that initial difficulty, there’s no incentive or opportunity for us to adapt and evolve. At the end of the day, it’s this simple: if you want to grow, you need to take risks.

Learn More About Yourself

When we stick to the same habits day in and day out, it’s easy for us to become stuck in a rut. But taking risks can give you opportunities to learn more about who you are—your interests and passions, your strengths and weaknesses.

In addition, because risks give you the opportunity to better know yourself as a person, you may find yourself better able to think on your feet. In fast-paced or difficult situations, you’ll be able to more quickly identify what you want and need, without requiring excess time to debate it.

Increase Your Self-Confidence

As we’ve said earlier, the first step is hard. But once you’ve finally taken it, you’ll find yourself experiencing a boost of self-confidence: you did it! With each step you take out of your comfort zone, you’ll start to realize that you’re capable of much more than you originally thought, and that your original self-doubt and insecurity was unwarranted.

You’ll find that you’re more comfortable staring into the eyes of the things that scare you most. Even tasks you thought were completely impossible for you to accomplish may start to seem like opportunities well within reach.

Essentially, risks give you the opportunity to cultivate a willingness to accept new experiences, to welcome new things—which is an adaptive, healthy mindset to cultivate.

There are many ways to move outside of your comfort zone, depending on what “comfort” means to you. Whether it means talking to a stranger on your commute or traveling alone to a foreign country, stepping out of your comfort zone can help you re-calibrate and maintain a more healthy, productive mindset.