Let me tell you about Bishop, a competent chess player who spent thousands of hours playing speed chess. His improvement? Nearly zero.
Bishop got frustrated. He thought maybe he needed some luck, a different strategy, better opponents. But his real problem was simpler: he was stuck in what we call the habit zone.
The habit zone is comfortable. It's where you do things you already know how to do.
Bishop played game after game, never studying his errors, never sitting with difficult problems. He'd finish one game and dash to the next.
Here's what research shows: Five hours of practice in the uncomfortable zone equals about twenty hours in the comfort zone. Quality engagement matters more than quantity.
For therapists, the habit zone looks like this:
- Seeing the same types of clients you're already comfortable with
- Using the interventions you've used a hundred times
- Attending conferences but never implementing what you learned
- Reading books but not changing your practice
- Doing supervision that feels supportive but doesn't challenge you
The habit zone isn't bad. It's where we do our everyday clinical work competently. But nothing much grows there.
The discovery zone is different. It's where you deliberately expose yourself to challenges you can't always handle. It's uncomfortable. Your advisor will protest loudly.
In the discovery zone:
- You take on a client that stretches your skills
- You try that intervention you learned and inevitably fumble it the first few times
- You record a session and actually watch it (cringing and all)
- You bring your most stuck case to supervision
The critical insight: Bishop needed to struggle with complex chess problems over and over. He needed to lose games at tournaments, study those losses, and understand what went wrong.
The same applies to your clinical development. You need feedback from your failures and setbacks, not just your wins.*
Here's the key:
You won't eliminate the discomfort of the discovery zone.
The discomfort is the signal that you're actually learning.
When you feel awkward implementing that new intervention, when your advisor says "you look incompetent," when you worry the client noticed your uncertainty—that's growth happening.
The habit zone will always call you back with its siren song of comfort. Real improvement requires you to regularly step into discovery, sit with the discomfort, and learn from what happens there.
The discovery zone is uncomfortable to navigate on your own. Having someone who can see when you're genuinely stretching versus spinning your wheels makes all the difference.
If you want guidance on stepping out of your habit zone, chat with me about Therapist Adventures. Your journey begins with a 1:1 chat, not a sales call, just a chance to explore your journey.
Start here and make a time to grow in 2026:
👉 Apply for Therapist or Mentoring Adventures
Talk soon,
Louise Hayes, PhD
Training, Courses & Mentorship
*From: Hayes, L. L., Ciarrochi, J. V., & Bailey, A. (2022). What Makes You Stronger: How to Thrive in the Face of Change and Uncertainty Using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. New Harbinger Publications.
