The Danger of Comfort

“A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins.”

“Winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.”

“Fatigue makes cowards of us all.”

These words are burned into my memory—all statements attributed to the great football coach Vince Lombardi. Lombardi is a hero of my dad’s, and for great reason; he coached the Green Bay Packers to victory in the first two Super Bowls back in the 60’s, and of course the Super Bowl trophy now bears his name. Lombardi is something of a legend; he was an aggressive, hard-nosed player in college but was too small for pro football. Formerly a student of religion aspiring to be a priest, Lombardi found his true calling as a coach, leader, and motivator of men on the gridiron.

My dad was also an aggressive, tough-minded athlete. He’s also had much success in leading, motivating and competing in the business world, primarily in the fields of sales and marketing. Lombardi inspired him to be his best, and Dad taught his wife and eight kids to perform at the highest level too. I remember seeing pictures of Lombardi, along with his words of wisdom and inspiration, posted on the refrigerator, in the bathroom mirror, and on the dashboard of the family car. Even when Dad was not around to watch, push, and inspire us because of long hours and hard work he himself was putting in, Coach Lombardi was seemingly watching over us—drilling those mantras into our heads and hearts.

Lombardi was not the only performance-enhancing guru whose picture and words were posted strategically around the house. I distinctly recall seeing quotes from guys like Reggie Jackson, George Brett, Muhammad Ali, leaders like the founding fathers, and many, many business and self-help gurus. Pictures of competitors like Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and Joe Montana decorate Dad’s office to this day. And of course, Dad instilled in us the love of learning and good books.

One of my favorite books—which happened to be recommended to me by Dad—is “The E-Myth Revisited,” by Michael E. Gerber. The byline is “Why most small businesses don’t work and what to do about it.” It’s about business success, but mostly it’s about how people need to change and develop in order for their business to do the same. It’s a great read, with applications for personal, family, and professional growth.

One of my favorite messages in the book is this: your business is a distinct reflection of who you are. If my business is sloppy, disorganized, or chaotic, it’s because I am sloppy, disorganized or chaotic. If I’m late, disengaged, or bored with the work, I’m late on the inside, disengaged on the inside, bored on the inside. I think the same could be said with how we show up for other aspects of life too—family life, community service, school, and so on. To change results, we need to change ourselves and our approach.

When we settle inside, accept the status quo, and only do what we have done before, we’re living in the Comfort Zone. This can lead to despair and cynicism. As Gerber says, “When the dream is gone, the only thing left is work… The day-to-day grind of purposeless activity.” You don’t need to be a business owner, manager, leader, or even be employed to feel that, do you? That Comfort zone will creep into every facet of life.

Vince Lombardi was anything but comfortable with the status quo. After his two Super Bowl-winning seasons, he became the general manager of the team for a year, and then went on to coach the Washington Redskins to their first winning season in 14 years. Look at any great leader, great manager, great athlete, great husband, wife, mother, father, or friend, and I bet you’ll see someone who is equally unsatisfied with living in the Comfort Zone; who pushes themselves to grow and be better.

My dad is also uneasy in the Comfort Zone—hence the reminders, notes, and goals he posts everywhere. When I was a kid, he even had a t-shirt screen-printed with the phrase “actenthusiasticandyou’llbeenthusiastic!” You’ve got to say it fast—and out loud—for the magic to work! The motto reminded himself and others of the power our spirit has over our minds and moods. He is a huge goal-setter and goal-achiever, always pushing himself to be his best at work, at home, and in his church and other activities.

In my own life, I’ve challenged my status quo in a handful of ways this year. I quit a job that was becoming more like the day-to-day grind of meaningless activity Gerber wrote about, and took a new job with a new company. My pay is a little lower, but the possibilities are endless, and I am endlessly energized by my new job. I’ve changed some eating habits, and have lost over 50 pounds in the last 7 months. I have been more consistent about exercising, becoming more fit, and enjoying family time, sports and other outdoor activities much more.

The Comfort Zone is anything but comfortable. It stalls us, slows us, and stunts our growth. It extinguishes dreams. It creates fear of the unknown, unimagined, and untested. The Comfort Zone dulls our senses, levels our peaks, and keeps us fear-bound to our valleys. Vince Lombardi’s charge for well-conditioned athletes was clear and compelling (“fatigue makes cowards of us all,” he'd say). But I think the final thoughts on comfort in Gerber’s book hit harder:

“Your Comfort Zone has been the tight little cozy planet on which you have lived, knowing all the places to hide because it’s so small. Your Comfort Zone has seized you before, and it can seize you again, when you’re least prepared for it, because it knows what it means to you. Because it knows how much you want to be comfortable. Because it knows what price you are willing to pay for the comfort of being in control. The ultimate price, your life… Comfort overtakes us all when we’re least prepared for it. Comfort makes cowards of us all.”

What will you do today, to break out of your cozy little Comfort Zone?