If you read my last article, it seems so easy to grow. Focus on one thing at a time, and do the daily tasks that help you reach your goals regardless of not wanting to or feeling tired. So why does it feel so hard to make true progress?
Our brains are like fluids in a container – they adapt to whatever situation they are put in
Without chaos, our brains adapt to the situation and do not see a need to change. If you want X, Y or Z but your brain is in complacent mode, it will find a reason to procrastinate indefinitely.
Most of the world is too complacent these days, so it is more likely you are too complacent than too close to burnout.
Too much pleasure is still procrastination.
Pleasure is better than most negative feelings. But if your main positive emotion is pleasure and you ignore feelings such as fulfillment, pride, achievement, respect, connection, spirituality, then you will eventually feel directionless and unsatisfied.
People want the reward without the journey
I will be happy when I graduate, when I get a house, when I travel the whole world, when I get married, when I get kids, when I start my own business, when I’m rich, when everybody respects me as I’m the best at what I do… It’s a never-ending cycle. You will always want more. If your positive feelings depend on getting X, then you are guaranteed to be stuck.
This is why gratitude goes a long way. Be thankful that you can put new problems in your life path and have the will to solve them. Smile at the challenges and push through the pain.
Life will hit you hard regardless of what you do. So you may as well do something worth living for.
There is too much that we need to learn
One of the other reasons enjoying the journey and putting yourself in chaos in life is that there is too much that needs to be learned in life and not enough time. If you are lucky, you will learn most of the lessons in childhood. But if you are like the majority, you will be playing catch-up with a lot of growing to do before you have the knowledge to how to keep your positive emotions and needs in balance sustainably.
Growth isn’t always natural
To grow, we have to go against our natural instincts. To realise that what our brain tells us is often wrong, that growth often means a lot of pain. I would say that the people who grow the most, experience a lot more pain and loss than others. They also experience a lot more highs and beautiful moments too as their growth enables them to do more and choose more.
How to get out of this complacency mode?
Put yourself in more chaos and observe yourself. If you are still wasting time on social media, Netflix or any other procrastination/addictive habit, then you don’t have enough chaos in your life.
The tasks required to grow are often not harder than our daily life actions. But they often feel pointless. This is because of the way we have set up our lives.
If I don’t go to work, I can’t get money so I can’t pay for my rent and food so I will not have my needs of shelter and food met therefore “I must” go to work. Once that’s done…well most of my needs are met now, I don’t feel like doing anything else.
Change your lifestyle so that the deadlines, the risk taking, the focus is first on what will get you to grow the most. Failure is okey, lack of growth is not.
