In his book “The Accidental Creative”, Todd Henry is quoted as saying:
“The Love Of Comfort Is Frequently The Enemy Of Greatness.” I could not
agree more. Comfort allows us to get lazy. When we are comfortable, it makes
it very hard for us to find that hunger that once drove us. A major part
of our inspiration to do amazing work is the drive and hunger to
accomplish or achieve our goals. What are some signs we are getting
comfortable?
1. We start to believe we have arrived. Comfort makes us believe we
have made it to some type of level or finish line. When we get comfortable
we stop hustling and take for granted the success we have been blessed with.
2. We stop believing there is more we can accomplish.* Comfortable
removes the challenge. When we were hungry, we were challenged by our jobs
and opportunities. The minute we stop having vision, we have embraced a
posture
of comfort.
3. We forget there is someone who is better than us. Being
comfortable breeds arrogance.
4. We stop being teachable. There is always more we can learn,
uncover, develop, and be taught. When we stop being teachable, we start
regressing – both creatively and as a leader.
5. We forget there is someone who wants what we are taking for granted. When
we are hungry, we are hunters. We are chasing opportunity and challenge. We
look for things to accomplish. When we become comfortable, we become the
hunted. We position ourselves in a place where we stop chasing and start
being chased.
6. We lose sight of the fact that we are responsible to steward our
resources, leadership, and talents. When we stop stewarding, we start
grazing. Leadership and creativity are a gift. We are responsible for them
and when we stop doing what it takes to manage them, we start to lose the
equity we have built.
7. We lose intensity. This one is scary. When we lose intensity, we
don’t have the ambition to make adjustments, fight, and enhance our
worlds. Intensity makes us get up excited in the morning to come face
the challenges because we have vision for what we get to accomplish. A loss
of intensity often can be traced back to a loss of clarity of vision
or expectation. Intensity is something we get to control. So we have to make
sure we are keeping it high.
8. *Rather than creating, we remix stuff we have already created.* Simple
as that. We start mailing it in and get a little lazy. We trade
the excitement of creating for the comfort of completing.
Greatness is special. Greatness makes people leave talking about the things
we create. We have the ability to create really great things if we are
willing to do the work required to push for excellence in the last 10%.
Everyone starts well, but greatness happens when we plan, execute,
and finish with the same passion that we start.
Love this post, especially points 3 and 8. One thing that always helps to push me forward is going out and experiencing live music. Also, sometimes I’ll take a day or two off…I won’t even touch my guitar. There’s always a freshness when I come back. Some of my best ideas come after a short break.
Very motivating. Typed up a little creative manifesto for myself based on your post:
1. I have not arrived and I never will.
2. There is always more I can accomplish.
3. I will study those who are doing it better than me.
4. There is someone who wants what I am taking for granted.
5. I will not lose intensity.
6. I will create more than I remix.
I listened to a pastor recently speak about Jesus calling him towards faith, not comfort. Intimacy with God, not a cushy life.
From my perspective, being in-tune with the “still small voice” is a critical, crucial necessity regardless of whether we’re considering faith or creativity or wisdom or growth.
So. right. on!
Chewing on this one… This post is a great mirror and is causing me to step back and think. By the way, I really appreciate this: “We have the ability to create really great things if we are willing to do the work required to push for excellence in the last 10%.”