Water doesn’t work very hard.
It always follows the path of least resistance.
Raindrops hold hands with other raindrops, and seek out the lowest level possible. When there’s a rock or tree in the way, they go around it. They never try to resist. They do what all the other raindrops do:
They conform.
Pour water into a glass, the water takes the shape of the glass. Fill a barrel, you have barrel-shaped water. In your hand, it’s exactly shaped like your hand.
Water doesn’t take initiative to do anything different.
I think we’re a lot like water.
It’s natural to take the course of least resistance. When we’re comfortable, we don’t move ahead. Moving ahead takes effort. We prefer comfort over effort.
We take the shape of our environment.
Comfort isn’t all bad. There’s a definite place for being at rest. Exercise, for instance, takes us out of our comfort zone for a while. But we follow exercise with rest in order to recover, recharge and grow.
Comfort isn’t a destination; it’s a rest stop on a journey.
It’s a great place to visit. It’s a crummy place to live.
Why?
Because we were meant for more than comfort. We were meant to make a difference – to make a unique contribution that nobody else can make.
If we choose comfort over impact, we rob our world of that contribution.
Impact is an intentional choice. Comfort is a default setting.
If we live for comfort, we take the shape of the world around us.
It’s better to shape the world, not be shaped by it.
Want to really enjoy your comfort zone?
Make a difference. Make an impact. Make a move. Stretch. Get better. Get stronger. Take risks for the sake of someone else. Care enough to change someone’s life. Wear yourself out doing something that matters.
Then, like water, take the path of least resistance. Rest. Recover. Retreat. Restore. Renew.
And do it all over again.
You’ll love your comfort zone, because it prepares you to make a bigger difference than ever.
You’ll live your life on purpose instead of default.
Jennifer Landis Hale says
“We take the shape of our environment.” I think this is a great reminder. I wonder if that is why leaders often stand out from the group. Because they are not willing to be molded by their environment.
Great post Mike!
Mike Bechtle says
Good thought! I think you’re right . . .