The pursuit of comfort has become gospel in 21st-century Western culture. Most advertising involves some element of comfort–comfortable cars, couches, retirements, and clothes.
But the reality is that life is uncomfortable (and always has been).
My dad turns eighty this year. Besides a couple of scares in the last ten years, he’s in good health. He still works part-time and loves mowing his yard.
He grew up in a house without an indoor toilet.
On cold winter nights in Upstate New York, I don’t like crawling out from under the covers to use one of the two indoor toilets in my house.
I’m not saying those were the good old days.
But one was uncomfortable, while the other was slightly annoying.
As our lives have become more comfortable, we have started to view discomfort as an arch-enemy and something to avoid at all costs.
Leadercast contributor Michael Hyatt offers three reasons to stop pursuing comfort.
- “First, comfort is overrated. It doesn’t lead to happiness. It makes us lazy—and forgetful. It often leads to self-absorption, boredom, and discontent.
- Second, discomfort is a catalyst for growth. It makes us yearn for something more. It forces us to change, stretch, and adapt.
- Third, discomfort is a sign of progress. You’ve heard the expression, “No pain, no gain.” It’s true! When you push yourself to grow, you will experience discomfort, but it will be worth it. I like what St. Ignatius said in his letter to his friend Polycarp: “Where the labour is great, the gain is all the more.”
Don’t shrink from discomfort. Instead, let it guide you toward accomplishment.”
Let me be blunt.
You will never find meaning and purpose in comfort. Comfort doesn’t satisfy.
Helen Keller said, “True happiness is not attained through self-gratification but through fidelity to a worthy purpose.”
Rabindranath Tagore said, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted, and behold, service was joy.”
If you want JOY (And I’m guessing you do), embrace discomfort and find someone to serve who can’t serve you back.
When I do that, I am always surprised at how much better I feel, even when the world is still in chaos.
