David Krueger, M.D., and contributor to Networking Times, suggests we reset our “inner thermostat.” He says to think of your comfort zone as your home thermostat. If the temperature in your house gets warmer or colder, the thermostat signals the heater or air conditioner to kick on.

Your comfort zone acts like an unconscious thermostat – until you make it conscious. Let’s say you’re used to making $300 a week. It’s Wednesday and you’ve only made $50 so you kick up your performance. But, if you’ve already made $400, you slack off for the rest of the week.

While a comfort zone can benefit you by saving you energy, it can also become an obstacle. If your brain is set on reaching $300 a week, but you could easily make $500, it takes conscious effort to remember to not “slack off.”

Don’t trade your passion for predictability, Krueger says. Here are some signs to let you know your comfort zone is no longer benefiting you:

* You feel stuck.

* You lack enthusiasm.

* You’re busy, but not growing.

* Your friends mention patterns you keep doing over and over, though they’re invisible to you.

* A big event forces transition.

To get yourself out of the same old rut, Krueger says to start new behaviors until they become automatic.

* Recognize patterns that aren’t beneficial, so you can change them.

* Take note of your goals apart from your comfort zone.

* Consult with friends, relatives or a coach to determine the best way to proceed.

* Concentrate on new behaviors. When you notice yourself diverting to old patterns, redirect your focus.

* Create new ways of thinking to stimulate your brain.

* Remember that the power is in the focus.

* Imagine how your new experiences require new thinking.

* Hang in there. It takes continuity and consistency in order to change.

* Recognize that when you initiate change, it will challenge your system.