Don’t Let Comfort Slay Your Soul

How The Pursuit of Comfort Can Lead to a Motionless Existence

Travis Ziebro
Jul 24, 2017 · 3 min read

Fresh out of school, my first job was in the electric motor research and development division of Toshiba. The job had a certain cachet to it — Toshiba is a household name and to say you are in the “research and development” division of anything sounds cutting edge. I enjoyed the feel of those words as they tumbled out of my mouth and the eyebrow raises that accompanied it.

It didn’t take long before I knew motor R&D wasn’t for me. Great coworkers, friendly boss, a relaxed environment? Check, check, check. What didn’t resonate was the work itself — to be truly great at research and development, your scope of vision has to continually shrink. A different, exploratory version of the world resonated with me. I knew my departure was a matter of time. But to where? Two years in, I sought the council of an old veteran of Toshiba — he had been there over 30 years and seemed determined to stay the course despite behavior that earned him the nickname of Eeyore. A young Travis was curious to know — what kept him there and why?

“In the first few years I was frustrated and hoped for a change. But eventually I just figured that any job is going to have problems. It’s comfortable here. So I decided that I would stay.”

Looking back at that comment, I can see the wisdom in it. Every job has its problems, no matter how good the fit. But at the time, I only saw a man with no passion, deciding he had no control of his future, and zombie walking to a finish line. I saw a specter of myself — working 30 years at an ill-fitting job for one reason: it was comfortable.

At least he’s comfortable.

Here’s the truth about comfort. Comfort, much like rest, is infinitely better when earned. True comfort is achieved when the toils of one’s labor necessitate it. How much better did that shower feel after a five mile run versus a day of lounging? How much better is that night out dancing when you crushed pivot tables all week? Work hard, play hard.

Comfort is the silent killer of our society. It has relegated United States to the middle of the pack in academic achievement. It keeps our best and brightest at the wrong jobs. It keeps managers making fear based decisions. It kept my fingers hovered over the keys even though I’ve known since the age of 9 I was meant to write. It kept me from pursuing entrepreneurship for years despite a childhood that left my sister shocked that I chased an undergraduate degree outside of business.

You dread Mondays? You can’t wait for the week to pass you by? Don’t be Eeyore. Every day is a chance to be alive, to breathe goodness in, to do good work that resonates far beyond yourself. On this Monday wake up. Be uncomfortable. Do great work.

I’m Travis Ziebro and working to make Momenta real— we make beautiful heirlooms that make your memories more alive.

Travis Ziebro

Written by

Husband, father to 3. I write about project management and leadership.

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