Comfort is the Enemy

I have always been intrigued by the dichotomy in the statement, “Comfort is the Enemy.” Most of us work very hard to reach the level of success that creates comfort in our lives—a lovely house, raising children and supporting their needs, having nice things, or taking vacations, etc.  However, here’s the trap. That very comfort, the feeling we strive so hard to achieve, is what gets us stuck from reaching higher levels of success, fulfillment, and completeness in our lives.

The truth is that, as leaders, we only change or radically push forward in the absence of comfort. By definition, comfort is a state of mind that does not provide the necessary leverage to shake ourselves free from the beliefs and stories guiding our choices. Only when we perceive that our current situation is wholly not good enough, insufficient, painful, fearful, risk-inducing, or not in alignment with our core aspirations, that we propel ourselves forward.  

One of the things I am doing this year to shake off comfort is to start every day with a cold plunge. For those unfamiliar, it’s effectively submerging to the neck in a barrel of 42°-45° water for three minutes. To be honest, my wife and son (who are generally one step ahead of me in pushing the boundaries of comfort) decided we were doing this. And never did I think I would be saying this in a million years, but I LOVE IT. In addition to the physiological benefits (which are still being proven out, but I can honestly say I feel them every day), the mental exercise of calming the mind, taking a few breaths, and getting in, confirms that we can overcome any belief or story living in our minds.  

If you are interested in real movement this year (as a leader, as a business, as a person), you need to become very aware of where comfort is holding you back. Let’s take a simple test to illustrate this.  

In the following table, I have listed core areas of your life that have relevance in the next year (2023). Rate each one on a scale of 1-10 regarding how important it is to you this year, with 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest. A “9” or “10” in any area should feel like this is non-negotiable, and nothing will take precedence over it. The rule is that you can only have three 9’s or 10’s. Once you have done that, rate each area on a scale of 1-10 regarding how you are currently doing in that area, with 1 being horrible and 10 being you are crushing it.

See bottom of page to download the fillable PDF in the form 

Once you have done your ratings, I want you to observe two things. First, observe where you have gaps between what’s most important to you and how you are currently doing. These are likely the areas you will take action on this year. Second, observe which areas you have rated between 6-8 in importance. These areas are important to you, and you may feel like you want to improve this year; however, the truth of your ratings is that you are living comfortably in these areas. They do not have enough leverage to create real action, and you’re likely to stay in the same position, even with this awareness exercise.

The good news is that you can create leverage in any area you want to change, simply through your state of mind and focus. At the root of what gets us stuck as leaders and people are a set of beliefs (and stories associated with those beliefs) that we have adopted and that guide our choices, actions, and emotions. If you become aware of the beliefs and stories related to comfort, you can choose other beliefs that get you unstuck and push you to higher levels of success and fulfillment.  

So, where is comfort currently holding you back from what you want this year? Fill out the form below to download the fillable life motivators template so you can gauge what your top motivators are.