Day 3 — The Comfort Zone

We humans want security. This is coming from the Neanderthal age where they stayed together as a group as that provided necessary security from external threats. That gene got embedded in our DNA and now we have security as the top item in our list.

I am not telling that security is bad. In many scenarios, we need security, like a secure home, safe travel, security apparatus that helps us live peacefully etc., If we would have stopped there, things would have been fine. But we humans are not that kind, right?

We want security for our future. Even to kids in school we tell, if you study engineering, you will get campus offer from software firms. If you want to go to USA, then MS and a PhD will be a sure shot to the top, which will again provide security.

When we try for a job, we first check, whether that company has a record of firing people or not? Do they offer job security? Let’s not bother whether they are pay masters or not, but are they offering job security? In India, at least, this is the case.

What everyone is failing to understand is that security we seek in our Job is what pulling us downward.

How? Let’s see.

We seek security because, our mind wants to get that comfort. Knowing that next 5 or 10 years, in government employment case, next 20 to 40 years, you are going to get your salary and there will be no firing at all… just a moment think yourself… what if you are in this situation?

Did you feel that, “Feel Good” factor? Of a secured future with predictable salary?

That ladies and gentlemen, is the comfort zone we all want to be and that comfort zone is sought after in the name of job security.

And I am telling you this is wrong. This security and comfort zone.

Once a human enters comfort zone and starts building a cocoon there, he will stop learning. There is no threat, right? Only when there is a threat, you act against that threat, like building a skill, improving in areas you are weak, seeking out other opportunities, willing to take risk.

All these happens, when you are uncomfortable.

But when you are comfortable, what will happen? Nothing, because YOU ARE comfortable.

How do you tell a person is in comfort zone? If he is

1. Spending time on unwanted things like, chit chat, or dozing off.

2. The only thing he reads is few news sites every day

3. After work hours spent on watching movies, or hanging out with friends

4. Planning for the next 3 to 5 years with the current salary

5. Always talking about having a predictable life

Due to brevity of this article, I am restricting this list to 5.

For these people, their education stops, and hence, their growth stops. Internal Erosion starts without them knowing and slowly erodes their mind to a point they resign to their fate, with a comfortable thinking that what they are getting is enough and they will be happy if this continues till their retirement.

But life is a bitch.

It will show its ugly face.

Companies Fire people.

Their comfort providing bubble will burst one day.

That’s when they (only few) realize their ship has sunk already. I have met many people who pray even at that hard reality, for some luck so that their journey continues.

That sucks guys. Is there an antidote for this sucker mindset? Yes, of course.

Let’s see about that tomorrow.