Why you Should Never Settle for Comfort

We’ve all heard it from time to time: ‘It is time to take it, easy son’. ‘It is time to go it a bit slow’. But why though? What’s so great about taking things easy?

The idea of taking a step back, putting your feet up, and settling down are propositions, you and I have and will encounter from time to time. And truthfully there is nothing wrong with taking a break… From time to time.

The problem however lies with the mindset that tends to accompany such notions. That it is somehow OK, at various stages in your life (well with exception of when you are nearing retirement-well maybe not even then) to just let things happen at a slower, calmer more manageable pace!?

But again I ask the question: Why? Why should anyone settle for the idea of taking things easy? Of taking time out, or simply lessening the pace at which you are working? Particularly if your goal is to make something out of your life.

The life equation is a simple one: Do you want to make a difference in your life, with the aim of making your time on this planet worthy of something significant, with the potential to affect the world around you in a positive way. Yes or No?

If the answer is in the affirmative, then the next answer that follows is that if you want to get there, you cannot take it easy. You can never take it easy. Even when you could. And that, believe it or not, is a good thing!

Do You Really Want It?

Let’s break this down a bit. If you want something in life, you really need to want it. Like more than anything, the main question is, are you willing to put in the work to get there?

For often time, even when the will is strong, the actions don’t follow. Not for everyone.

What truly sets the good from the great is that the latter, just don’t stop. Especially when it gets tough.

Going further, even when you achieve whatever that you believed you really wanted, the question then is, are you going to settle at that point, or are you going to keep persevering?

And even when you do, attain your next major goal, what do you do next? Do stop and take a step back, and take things slow, or think it is time to hang up your boots? Or do you keep persisting?

Look at the stories of some of history's most notable people: sportsmen, actors, politicians, and great conquerors. These guys never gave up. They never stopped. They were never satisfied. Even when they had done, by most standards of the day, ‘it all’.

The great Mongolian conqueror, who at one point controlled the world’s largest empire, is noted to have said: “With Heaven’s aid I have conquered for you a huge empire. But my life was too short to achieve the conquest of the world. That task is left for you”.

The question is are you willing to strive for great things? Are you willing to work and yes, even to fight for what you believe in, with reachable goals, built on concrete methods that can get you there?

If the answer is, then it is time to prepare and run for a marathon. This journey you are about to take is not going to end. And are you ready to struggle in the long run?

Pain is ‘Good'

Many of us have heard of the great Socrates. One of the central figures of the West’s intellectual tradition, if not its founder, and one of the key minds in the works of another great figure, Plato.

A story that some of us may not have heard of, one that captures the character of this great man and his pursuit of truth is worth mentioning here.

The story involves an ebullient but naïve young man who visits Socrates with the wish to acquire true knowledge. Upon hearing it, the great thinker invites the young man to walk with him. Soon they enter a river, where Socrates asks the young man to look closer into the water. As the man bends and looks down, Socrates grabs the young sap by the neck and forces it down into the water.

Grasping for air the man starts fluttering and tries to raise his head. Socrates, despite his ages, was a powerful man, and held the young man’s head inside the water, as he desperately tried to break free. Moments later, Socrates releases his grip and pulls the man up. Choking and gasping for air, the infuriated young man asks Socrates what he was doing?

For which thinker had one question: when you were down there what is the one thing in the world that you wanted most badly? “Air” was the response. For which Socrates replied, when your thirst for knowledge is as strong, then visit me again.

You see friends, the idea of ‘no pain no gain’ is something we have heard before (If you haven’t, well you better now). But what is often missed is for what purpose.

Why should you put yourself in challenging situations? Why put in the extra hours? Why read books when you could relax on the couch with Netflix and video games? Why take time to build a side hustle, and importantly persist, even when there are little to no results?

The real question we are getting is the reality of discomfort. One that we have to undergo, at some level, if we are to achieve something significant. And critically, the moment we stop feeling that sense of discomfort, at a deeper level, it means we are stagnating.

Returning to the story of the young man and Socrates, the point is not simply one of intent: that is how badly you want something, and are you willing to endure to get there. That is a part of it.

But the deeper message, and there is always one with Socrates, is that pursuit of something meaningful: like building a business, developing a great physique, increasing your social status, etc. entails constantly working, trying, and improving which naturally entails a struggle.

‘Know that the pursuit of success involves pain. It carries a lot of discomforts. It is part of the process.

In fact, whenever there is no discomfort when things become easy, it is usually a sign that things are stagnating. And that means you, yes, YOU are not growing.

Pain in Practice

If you have ever worked in sales, or in any role that involves selling a product or an idea in any capacity, you will know that getting a ‘no’ is a part of the process. Getting rejected and being able to learn from it and move forward is just how things work. And frankly, if you can’t take rejections, you will not survive one day in a sales job.

Which is a reason why not many people enter into sales. And even fewer actually succeed at making a living, a decent one at that. But do you know that the sales principle is a part of virtually everything you do?

Selling, as a concept is often understood in transactional terms, usually involving a physical product. But the art of selling works in many other areas of life.

From applying for a job where you are selling your qualifications and credentials; from seeking investment from a venture capital firm where you are selling your business idea or product concept; to literally selling yourself-which is a subject for another time.

‘For the principle nonetheless, the remains the same. Are you good at not just pitching an idea, a good one at that? But critically, at being able to put yourself out there. Out on the spot. Are you able and willing to take it?’

Caz for a lot of people, just getting out and putting themselves in a testing environment, would seem like an impossible challenge. And as a result, a lot of people in the world, with some maybe even in your life: the sort of persons with great potential, capacity, and great ideas, will never the light of day, because they are… Afraid?

Well actually, it is because they (or possibly you) are not willing to embrace discomfort. The discomfort of different types: the fear of rejection, fear of speaking in public, and the fear of just being yourself.

Remember, if you are going to do anything meaningful in this life, you need to not only face discomfort, you need to embrace it.

Pain is Part of the Process

So how does this work out in practice? When one thinks of pain and discomfort, it is easy to get lost in the idea of physical hardship.

Whilst that is very real, and often it is the main source of discomfort that people try to avoid or minimize, often the kind of discomfort that people are likely to encounter in the world and here we are speaking of predominantly urban dwellers, with aspirations that correlate with those living in advanced economies-are of the emotional or psychological variety.

In the real world, when it comes accomplishing something of significance; like building a business that helps you quit your job, because it is turning a profit (and not before), or being able to gain mastery of the dating game, believe me, is an area where a lot of men struggle today.

If you look at the success stories, the guys who have made it. The entrepreneurs and industrialists who control their own financial destiny, or the studs who have little trouble landing that 9 or 9.5, you will know that they didn’t get there overnight.

To get good at anything in life, you need to put in the work. And the work, I promise, is not easy, but it will be worth it. 

We’ve heard it before ‘the blood, sweat, and tears’. Whilst it may not literally be so-well actually it is for the some-the process of getting there is not a simple one. To get to a point or stage in your life where you have a degree of control over your financial destiny, where you have the ability to meet, interact and attract quality women, these involve a process of learning by taking action and will require investing the time, effort and resources.

Learning by making, not exactly mistakes, but missteps: which are stepping stones for reaching greater heights. The thing is, if you are unable and willing to make these errors and go through the trials until you reach your destination, you are not going to make it.

In life, there are no shortcuts. People succeed because they have the will, skills, and determination. Do you?

If you have been following the deeper thread here, you would know that getting good at something, is a part of the process. A process that leads, or rather that must lead somewhere. Life is a journey of learning and growing, and in each step along the way, there will be hurdles.

And that is not a bad thing. The masculine ideal calls you to face, and later embrace those challenges. For it is only then will you grow.

‘As former CEO of IBM Ginni Rometty once said: ‘Growth and comfort do not coexist. If you want to succeed, keep succeeding. Do not seek out comfort’.

So is Comfort a Bad Thing?

Actually no. Comfort, or what underlies it security and success are very good things. And any sane person who wants to function productively in society needs to have that end in mind.

For instance, think of going through a hard day’s work and then facing the prospect of going back home to more work, conflict, or in a word, discomfort? Doesn't sound like a good idea. Actually, it is a pretty bad one.

We all need time to rest. We must protect ourselves against burnout. And yes, from time to time, we do need to kick back and take some time for ourselves. But this is the crux: taking time off for yourself, never means taking your eye off the ball.

If you want something in life, something for yourself, that is worth it. That is good. Something that relates to success in your field. Then you can never truly stop thinking about it.

The idea of being driven is something, is a point you and I have heard before. In practice, this means the idea of being driven by some goal or objective to do certain things. This also means that every action you take draws some type of motivation from the inner drive. The will to succeed.

And if you have this drive-which in practice tends to tie with some mission you may have for your life- this force will never leave you. It will never let you settle. It will never let you get comfortable. This means taking a break, having a time out, or relaxing at the right time is fine, as long as this goal is motivating you.

Discomfort In Action

So what happens now that you know that discomfort is part of the deal? Since there is no escaping the trials, the hardships, the rejections, and the inevitable pain that comes with it. What happens to you now?

As a start, the question you need to ask is what do you want out of life? If it is to increase your financial position, to get better with women and relationships, to have a better physique, to grow your social profile.

Whatever it is, you need to get very specific about what you want. And then produce an action plan on how to get there.

Now there are a number of ways you can approach this, but the core philosophy of getting there remains the same. And yes that means the part about hard work and facing discomfort is going to be there. But it also means there are ways to make it simpler. Smoother, more streamlined.

With dedicated input from a proven expert in the field, who will ensure that you stay on track, and ensure that you get there. What about that option.

Simply put, whilst hard work will always be the principle, there is no harm in getting sound advice and guidance from an expert who has been there and done that.

For if your goal is to improve your financial status, increase your mental and physical well-being, and have a better social life, AND you want it done correctly, then this fast-track process might be for you.

Conclusion

In life, there are no shortcuts. Can’t say this enough. But whenever you hear someone who comes up with a get rich quick scheme, some special program that will make you tens (or hundreds) of thousands of dollars in a matter of months, weeks, or heck even days. You gotta know that something is not right. But the fact is a lot of people do fall for them.

And I mean a lot of them. This is why these schemes even exist in the first place. Because they prey on people’s instincts to have it easy. To get what they want, without the work, without the hardship. Without the discomfort. But that cannot be your way.

You need to decide to take the hard but also the smart path. But remember you don’t have to do it alone. Trust yourself, and the process, and get some help along the way. See you on the other side.