Your Addiction to Comfort is Killing Your Business (and Your Dreams)
Addiction to comfort is an addiction like any other. A behavior that continues despite harm to self and others. And while its effects might not be visible in the short-term, the impact leaves your dreams, results and aspirations as casualties.
Comfort is the state of physical ease and alleviation of feelings of grief and distress. Don’t get me wrong, comfort is necessary. Just as my mom used to say, “everything in moderation”. But if not properly balanced with pushing your limits and doing hard things, you’re left stuck.
Stuck because anything new naturally causes discomfort. New things are unknown; and the unknown is unknown. In other words, scary, risky and potentially dangerous. If we’re not conditioned to embrace discomfort, or worse, unwilling to embrace discomfort, we’re perpetually left with the results we already have.
Years back, when our grandparents had to walk uphill both ways to school in the snow with nothing but a hot potato to keep them warm, discomfort was ever present. Discomfort wasn’t optional as there just weren’t as many creature comforts then as there are in many places across the world today. Here in 2021, I can take Zoom meetings, order food and be entertained, all without having to leave my couch!
That is a fantastic achievement, no doubt. But with all of that comfort readily accessible, we need to choose discomfort in the face of being addicted to the unchallenging, the simple and the easy way out. Notice, if you have the option of confronting a difficult situation or leaving it until tomorrow, what do you do? Or, how long have you waited to start that company you’ve been dreaming about? Or maybe, it takes on a different form… You’re uncertain of a next step, unsure of what to do so you simply stay in a state of indecision. All of that is comfort within the bounds of what we already know.
Everyone getting a trophy, nobody ever being offended and never having to face major challenges is a recipe for stagnation. If you’re entirely satisfied with the results you have—perfect— then there’s no need to change (but I highly doubt you are). If you’re not satisfied, look for how to engage discomfort in any area of your life or business.
Just like going to the gym to build muscles, embracing discomfort over time builds your capacity to handle larger and larger amounts of it. It’s not fixed. So anywhere you find discomfort you’ll be better equipped to handle it everywhere. Just like going to the gym,…usually the hardest part is getting started.
Each week I’ve been doing a weekly challenge to give you the chance to join me in breaking the monotony of the day-to-day. This week: 50 pushups a day, every day for 5 days. If you want to take part download the calendar chart HERE and share on Instagram/Facebook. Do them however you can: all at once, a few at a time, even with your knees down. What matters is doing it, #NoMatterWhat. Do them one day at a time to practice divorcing the addiction to comfort.
An overly dependent addiction to comfort will ultimately be the end of your personal growth, your business and worse, your dreams. It will leave you exactly where you already are. There’s obviously a place for comfort, safety and ease. It’s necessary. But instead of solely seeking comfort on the outside, look for how you can strengthen yourself inside to deal with discomfort. It’s only on the other side that you’ll achieve new results and breathe new life into those ideas and dreams of yours that are just waiting to be realized.