The overwhelming success of the La-Z-Boy and UGGs (my personal favorite) is all the evidence you need to understand that people love to be comfortable.

The comfort of routine and familiarity is why you have a favorite booth in your local cafe. You may vacation at the same lakeside cabin each summer, rather than adventuring somewhere new, for the same reason. 

Change is uncertain, it’s unpredictable, and it can be super uncomfortable. 

And for us creatures of habit, with our super-soft security blankets, it’s a no-brainer to say “no thank you” to change and upheaval.

But another part of the human equation is important to note. 

Humans like progress. 

My fellow personal growth junkies know that itch. That ants-in-your-pants feeling that there’s a better way to live and lead. 

So why do we sometimes stay at the job we feel unfulfilled by? Why do we hold ourselves back from pursuing a Ph.D. in another country even though it sounds like an absolute dream? Why don’t we take that next step? 

You guessed it! That pesky quote from English novelist Anthony Trollope says it best. “Better the devil you know than the devil you don’t know.’

We become comfortable in certain routines, roles, and habits. 

The unknown is scary. It’s hard to predict outcomes. More challenges could arise. 

The fears we have surrounding change often hold us back from taking important steps to change our life. 

Here’s the bottom line. Discomfort is a part of life. Your power lies in your ability to choose the type of discomfort you want to have in your life. 

You can grapple with the discomfort of the unknown or the discomfort that comes with staying the same.

I want to challenge you to take a curious look at what has become comfortable for you. 

Are you really comfortable or is fear holding you back from the life you really want? If the answer to one, either, or both of those questions is yes… It’s time to get a little uncomfortable and move toward a change.