John Foley, Founder of Peloton
“Risk is the tariff paid to leave the shores of predictable misery”
I was watching a television show recently about the Koala bear. I never realized just how lazy these cute animals are. They spend their lives in eucalyptus trees and their main diet consist of the eucalyptus leaves.
The problem is these leaves do not provide much in the way of energy, so Koala bears sleep up to 20 hours a day.
The Koala bear really is not motivated to change because it basically eats where it sleeps and sleeps where it eats.
How great would that lifestyle be?
You don’t even have to roll out of bed before stuffing your face full of food, then you could go right back to sleep in a leaf induced coma.
The Problem with Comfort
Don’t get me wrong, I love Koala bears as well as the next person. However, I think they are a good metaphor for what happens if we get too comfortable in life.
We get complacent.
If things are going great. We have all we need. We don’t feel a need to challenge ourselves. Why should we?
The problem with comfort is that it may mask what we are truly capable of. If we get to a comfortable state in life, we are not inclined to change that.
Why would anyone want to make themselves uncomfortable?
Think of our friend the Koala bear. Relegating his whole life to a eucalyptus tree. He will never experience what a banana leaf taste like, he will never experience the thrill of running from a predator, he will never experience the thrill of chasing his food.
Why?
Because he is comfortable in his tree, eating leaves, sleeping 20 hours a day
The Great White
There is probably no greater opposite to the Koala bear than the Great White shark. Opposed to hanging out in one spot all their lives, Great Whites have been known to travel 12,000 miles in nine months.
The Great White has no known predators.
The Great White is carnivorous and there are very few things in the ocean they won’t eat.
I don’t think Stephen Spielberg ever considered making a film called “Koala Bear”. About a menacing animal terrorizing unsuspecting victims in a grove of eucalyptus trees.
The Great White does not thrive in comfort. He is hungry and driven. Willing to travel great distances for food. The Great White does not have the luxury of living in a shallow pond surrounded by small fish.
You could argue that the Great White had to adapt to survive the harsh environment of the ocean and in turn has become one of the most feared predators.
Make Comfort Secondary
Maybe you have become a little like the Koala bear. You have become very comfortable in your environment. You are cute, fuzzy and people love you, however you have kind crested. You are fine right where you are at.
The question though should be is there more?
Is there a 12,000 mile journey through the ocean awaiting you?
You can stay in your tree and be perfectly content and everyone will think you are adorable. However, will they look at you the same way they look at a Great White?
I am not advocating that we need to be ruthless in our dealing at work and home. I am saying that being driven and getting out of your tree will open you up to new experiences.
This why you often hear folks who are let go from a job say it was the best thing that ever happened to them.
Why?
They were kicked out of the eucalyptus tree right into the 12,000-mile swim for survival. This opened their eyes to strengths and abilities they never knew they had. It let them see that there was a much larger world outside of their tree.
Where are your eucalyptus trees?
Take moment and look at your life.
Are there areas that you have grown comfortable or complacent in?
Maybe it’s time hop out of your own eucalyptus tree and stretch yourself.
You may discover your inner Great White Shark.
Leave your email address to be notified when new post are up.