Innovation, she says, happens when we step outside our comfort zone. Being stagnant in routine often results in plummeting creativity. “In order to be more creative, you have to try new things, see things in a new way, put pieces together in a new manner,” she says.
What holds most of us back from stepping out of our comfort zone, however, is fear. “We have such a huge fear of failure in our society,” says Lombardo. Any new skill always feels awkward and stressful at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable it will be. Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable, Lombardo says, is the key to overcoming this fear.