We always hear that low tone voice in our head saying, ‘Let’s just sit and relax; nothing’s going to change if we go work.’ This is the voice of comfort.
Comfort is an emotion, a place, a shackle, something that seems pleasing to hold onto, but in the long run, just makes us regret never starting. And it's not wrong! We live in a world where our rooms are temperature-controlled, the universe’s information lies on the internet, food need not be cooked, thanks to delivery partners and much more. The beauty of comfort is its promise of safety, effortless peace of mind and providing control of events. Why we always want to stay in the ‘comfort zone’ has something to do with the evolution of our brains as well. Till a century or two ago, humans had to work really hard to feed themselves, build homes to protect themselves, and so on, that too in a world with minimal distractions.
Our brain has always prioritized comfort over labour, since humanity came into existence, and comfort was a necessity for our survival. However, the scenario we live in today is different. We live in a much more convenient environment, but our brain? The brain was designed for challenges and adaptations. It cannot differentiate the fact that humanity has progressed so far as to have access to practically everything within the palm of our hand. For instance, most of the time, we tend to open the fridge and eat or drink something all day. Why? Because the brain was developed to make humans survive in harsh climates like forests and deserts, where food was scarce and hunting was difficult. Hence, when it finds food and water just ten steps away, it makes us crave it, not as a curse, but believing it is required for us to live another day, just like our ancestors. Comfort, once a reward for overcoming hardship, has become the default. And by clicking this default option, we lose the very stress and pressure that have made us more intelligent, resilient, and creative today. Everything we do has a price. Now comfort might feel like we are doing nothing, but that’s it! Doing nothing is also doing something. Comfort snatches away our potential for greatness! And realizing our potential is the very essence of our existence on this planet. Comfort whispers,
‘You are fine as you are,’ even when we feel that small twitch inside us which says, ‘You are destined for greatness!
“Comfort kills more dreams than failure ever will.” ~ Junias Erasmus
We may not even know, but all of us, even the rich and popular people, often choose comfort over effort every day, whether it be choosing to sit on the mobile phone instead of going for a run, avoiding hard conversations to keep the peace, or sticking to familiar tasks and strategies to dodge failure. These may seem like minor infractions and nothing consequential. However, together they build a life that’s safe but uninspired. We become emotionally soft, intellectually passive, and creatively muted, and never achieve the potential we were born to reach. Our brain views discomfort as punishment when it's actually feedback. It shows us where we are stuck, what we are scared of, and where we are growing. The ‘comfort zone’ is an imaginary line before which is temporary happiness with long-term struggle and beyond which is temporary struggle and long-term happiness. Our comfort gives a false hope of things working out, even if we don’t push. One of the simplest examples can be of not practising a hard question, believing it won’t come in the exam. Certainly, we all have felt this as students. This is nothing but our comfort! This is comfort, saying you have done enough already, and there’s no more need to stress your brain. We assume success will arrive without effort, and when it doesn’t, we blame our fate.
"Discomfort is not the enemy; it’s a teacher." ~ Anonymous
The moment we choose discomfort, we choose movement. We choose to step into the arena of life, where things are uncertain, messy, and real. Just imagine living the same boring life every day. Doesn’t sound fun at all. Discomforting ourselves allows us to explore portions of our life, even if we didn’t know we would love. The brain is built to be as brilliant as Einstein’s or even more. The human body is built to be as relentless and sculpted as Ronaldo’s or even more. Our voice is meant to be as great as Martin Luther King Jr’s or even more. Our creativity is meant to be as limitless as Da Vinci’s or… even more. Yet, we all choose to sit in a corner, on the bed, with a packet of wafers in one hand and a phone in the other. Choosing discomfort is choosing self-respect. It’s saying, ‘I wasn’t born to settle for ease if it costs me my potential.’ We all have a purpose in life, and pushing ourselves out of the ‘comfort zone’ allows us to pursue our dreams and ambitions and achieve inner peace, something comfort claims to provide temporarily. It’s trusting that the version of you on the other side of discomfort is stronger, clearer, and more alive. Comfort isn’t the enemy, but it isn’t the answer either. Getting out of the ‘comfort zone’ does not mean solving hundreds of equations in one sitting or working out for several hours. It means pushing yourself beyond the edge and then resting when needed. Choosing a tough path doesn’t mean we stop caring for ourselves; it means we believe in our potential.
So, if you are trying to get fit, go run that extra mile. If you want to save your relationship, go speak the hard truth. If you want to achieve good grades, go solve another five questions. If you want your business to grow, go modify your strategies. Try even when failure feels close. That’s how we live fully, not by staying soft, but by showing up with strength.