The Downside of Comfort

 Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Unless you do something beyond what you have already mastered, you will never grow.”  This week’s video post recaps a brief conversation I had with my youngest son that gave me insight into why it is so hard to move beyond that which we already know — and what we have to lose if we don’t.  It’s amazing what you can learn from your kids — and a pair of old, gnarly sneakers. Tweet

Here’s what I said in the video:

My son pulled these [sneakers] out of the trash the other day. He said, “Mom, why did you throw these away, I love these shoes!”

“Really?  This is why I threw them away.”

“But Mom they’re so comfortable and I love them and they’re black and they’re great and they’re all worn in.”

“But sweetie, if it rains, your toes are going to get sopped. And you can’t run as fast as you want to in these. And you can’t play kickball without injuring yourself.”

He insisted on wearing them. He dug them out of the trash and put them on one day even after we bought him new shoes.

But you know, I get it — because we all have our habits that are comfortable and easy and familiar. And we want to keep doing them, even when they don’t serve us anymore.

Sometimes comfort keeps you bound.  Dare to move beyond it.

For more on moving beyond your comfort zone:

The Pinocchio Principle: Becoming the Leader You Were Born to Be    

Softening the Pain of Growth

Taking Your Leap, Part I & Part II

Bridging the Gap Between No More and Not Yet

Are You at a Crossroads?