“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” ~ Neal Donald Walsch
Is comfort a trap? For the business person, danger sometimes lurks in the most unlikely places where it’s not supposed to reside. In fact, it is entirely possible we are most vulnerable when we are the most comfortable. At the beginning of the second half of this quickly vanishing year, when a wide field of possibility is typically clearly visible, let’s take a moment to discuss the perils of comfort.
I hope this essay’s perspective is informed by something better than a mere Protestant work effort, but it’s even possible our comfort can cause us to quit growing. As others have pointed out, the Buddha had to leave the comfort of his home and family to seek enlightenment. Comfort enjoyed for too long a period of time can destroy our creative instinct and ill prepare us for confronting opportunities.
Everything worthwhile requires struggle. If you are taking any real risk, you likely will find yourself less than comfortable. It takes courage to put yourself on the line, and there are seldom any guarantees. The path is often without any charting and will test every aspect of your character. These are all good things, but it’s hard to be comfortable at the same time you are being challenged to go a bit farther.
My guess is your competition isn’t very comfortable, and that makes them a serious threat to your business life. So what is the travel professional to do? Don’t be too upset if you aren’t yet comfortable. In fact, don’t relish too much comfort in your business life. If it happens, enjoy it and then watch for an opportunity to move on, to re-introduce a desire for growth and a small degree of healthy stress.
I don’t want to completely disrupt the good feelings you have about your accomplishments and the position in which you have placed yourself. But comfort may be over-rated. Stress helps us grow. Our psyche seeks challenge and if it doesn’t get it, it risks becoming weak. Your potential doesn’t live in your comfort zone.
One thought on “The Dangers of Comfort”
Totally agree that comfort can be your downfall. The travel industry and others change on a daily basis thus you need to be that one step ahead and make use of oportunities before someone else does.