Get Uncomfortable, Finally

The situation: Complacency. Complacency on even the lowest level: A feeling of quiet pleasure or security, often while unaware of some potential danger, defect, or the like; self-satisfaction or smug satisfaction with an existing situation, condition, etc. Homeostasis. The human body and the human mind resist change as hard as they can. Unhappy Enough You may be unhappy. You might be miserable. But are you unhappy enough, miserable enough to get you moving, finally? As long as it isn't that bad, there is no real reason for a change. After all, the change is endangering the status quo. The resolution: Get uncomfortable with the status quo. Escalate the status quo to the point where it gets really uncomfortable and you are ultimately required to get up and finally move. Your Mind is Playing Tricks on You Please note that you are already unhappy with your situation. Do you really think that an eventual change will make things worse? Could it be remotely possible that your mind is playing tricks on you, tricks to prevent change? Any change? Even the change to something better? Something better. That's what is almost guaranteed. What do you think is going to happen after a long stretch of discomfort? The mere change, change itself, will make you feel better, once you overcome the inertia that your mind builds up to save itself. Make it Worse How? Do something stupid. Something stupid that will turn out to be ultimately intelligent. Break that situation by doing something against your values that will literally make you want to run away. Of course, stay somewhat sensible but -- you have to break that situation by going just far enough for yourself. You don't want to destruct other people's life and lives when all you need to do is to break your own mindset. The usual disclaimer applies here. Drive that car into the ground, quit that job, and leave that relationship. Do you really think that anything will be worse that it is now? Make it worse now and expect nothing but the best in return. Again, the plan is not to blow up the situation in a negative way. I do not suggest to provoke getting fired for bad performance; instead, get fired for excellent work; get too big for your current situation. The decision is made. Right? That's the part where thinking can pause and step back for doing. Think up the plan to quit, to change the situation and then do without further thinking. Let go. Avoid rationalizations like the plague. Avoid Rationalizations I can't stress this enough: Fight rationalizations. Dismiss them once the decision is made. The beauty is that you don't know yet what is to come. The trick is to move on anyway. How? It doesn't matter. One thing is for sure, though: It will be better, especially since you don't know what it is. Don't you love surprises? I know that you don't, by the way, but you will love this one. Enjoy and embrace your discomfort and move now, finally. Set a Deadline Set up a deadline, a really outrageously tight, deadline. One that is so tight, it isn't possible to linearly achieve. Set a goal of quitting in 4 weeks, whatever it is. That said, what about tomorrow? Today? The Process To sum it up, the steps are roughly as follows -- You are comfortable and complacent. You set a ridicoulously tight deadline to end complacency. You get really uncomfortable with the little you have. You realize that it will be better. You fight rationalizations. Your mind is playing dirty tricks on you. You have your mind in check and your actions are pursuing the deadline. Quantum leaps happen. Are you uncomfortable enough? Related Items Don't Ask Why: It's Overrated Leap Forward and Benefit from Nonlinear Growth Deliberate Change: Whatever it Takes Enhance your Predictions Free ebook Peer pressure, vanity and behavior, motivation tricks and hacks, success and pain, and how to excel, Celebrate Your Beauty.