Part One of Three – Are you comfortable? Are you too comfortable?
These questions may seem very simple and make you question if anyone can be too comfortable. We sometimes think of comfort, ease, and lack of challenge as a state of bliss. As you go through life and the daily challenges, you are eager for a day where you can relax and be without worry or obstacles. I disagree, and believe that being too comfortable and lacking challenge could lead to a state of stagnation and limited growth in your career and life. I have had days of comfort and I have had many days of challenge, but as I reflect, the challenging days were the most influential days for growth in my life and career. Comfort feels great in the short term, but to grow you must push yourself into discomfort.
As Bill Eckstrom presented in his TEDX talk in 2017, “Growth only happens in a state of discomfort. When you allow yourself to move to discomfort and complexity, you are on the path to learning and growth.” There are many examples of great gain and change in history and I would say that all significant change was the result of someone challenging themselves further than they thought . You can either be comfortable and stagnate or stretch yourself — become uncomfortable — and grow. You must become comfortable being uncomfortable and this takes practice and believing in yourself and your goals. There are different levels of discomfort and growth that are displayed on the Growth Ring, in which we will review in our next blog.
Stay tuned for part two where we will dig deep into the layers of the Growth Ring!
Written by Brian Kemple
Learn more about Brian here
