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Saturday, September 8, 2012

Comfort vs Progression


Annnndd ACTION!

 Welcome back ladies and gentlemen, I know it's been far too long! We are going to jump right into it today in a discussion about Comfort vs Progression. A recent turn of events and a few good conversations sparked up the inspiration for this post so bare with me.

 I recently completed this development program around brand building and what exactly brand is.
 In this program we read a book entitled, "Career Warfare" by David D'Alessandro (a book I highly recommend to anyone starting or growing in their career) in which he discusses 10 rules to adhere to in building your brand and moving up the career ladder. Outside of the book however, we would discuss some of the unwritten, but well known Do's and Don'ts of the professional world. We discussed etiquette and professional dress, we discussed public speaking and presentations, and we discussed how not to get comfortable. Now, although this was a program structured around the professional world and career development, I couldn't help but to think of ways to implement some of (if not all of) the things I would learn in my personal life. Let's face it, our daily lives aren't promised and our professional ones are even less.

 The issue around becoming comfortable is a very real issue not only in the professional world but domestically as well. Many of the people I've grown up with were faced with the same disadvantages and struggles; be it a lack of guidance, distractions, violence, poor education, etc. As a result many dropped out of school, fell to street gangs, premature pregnancy, jail, and unfortunately premature death. Of those who didn't, many (including myself) went on to college but didn't finish due to a variety of reasons that I could speculate involved a lack of preparation, lack of financial ability, and lack of desire as life was comfortable enough as is.

 LIFE WAS COMFORTABLE AS IS...

 It just so happens that many of my peers are brilliantly resourceful enough to not only find a way to survive, but find a way to be comfortable in surviving. They either live with relatives and/or find a job or two and do what they have to do to make ends meet and as long as they are able to wake up the next morning this is life. Living like that, before you know it you are 40 with kids and regrets about what opportunities you didn't take advantage of because you got comfortable and you impress upon the next generation not to complete the cycle...but they do. It's very easy to get caught up in the day to day flow of life, living pay check to pay check and waking up one morning full of gray hair and regrets. Even I, myself having found full time employment and being out of school for as long as I have can see how easy it would be to get caught up and not go back. Being comfortable is indeed comfortable. You might always be able to buy the new Jordan sneakers, you might be able to afford the new Iphone and you may be able to pay all of your bills on time...most of the time; but is going out on a limb...getting out of your comfort zone and enduring a little bit of pain for a lot of potential gain really that foreign? That bad? It's not working if you're comfortable and in my honest opinion the only time you should be comfortable is when you are making progression! For those of us who never stopped schooling and are well on their way to getting a masters degree or more...more power to you! Read D'Alessandro's book and keep up the progress. For those of us like myself caught at a cross roads...don't let yourself get comfortable...I'll be in school next semester how about you?

Now, i'm not saying it's absolutely necessary for someone to be a college graduate to be successful. What I'm saying is that as long as you make it "ok " to get by on the bare minimum or " just enough" you are allowing yourself to get comfortable in spite of your personal goals and desires. But if you are content with doing just that then by all means...be comfortable! But let's be honest...we all want a little more.

2 comments:

  1. Well Said! (Arturo)

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  2. This is definitely my favorite post. Beautifully articulated

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