Comfort Seekers and Risk Takers

In this period of my life I have been reflecting on why I am doing what I am doing and whether or not the desires that consume me are worthy of being pursued.

What I have recognized is that I am standing at a threshold. Inside the doorway is a warm fire, a leather recliner, the smell of hot coffee and cinnamon is in the air, Barber’s Adagio for strings playing softly in the background and is slightly louder than the murmur of the company of people you love. I’m familiar with all of these and am drawn to these things. I may even long for them at the end of a long day.

On the other side of the doorway is also something I am drawn to and may even long for after a long day, but I am unfamiliar with it because it is only an idea and not a reality. It excites me, motivates me, ignites me to move and will move me…change me…drastically impact the reality I know. All of that is good but I an hindered from stepping across the threshold by the comfort of what I know and by the work that is going to be required if I do.

Work without a guarantee of success. Work that will result in blood, sweat and tears being shed. Work that will be painful emotionally and physically. Work that could destroy the opportunity to experience the comfort of what is inside the threshold.

What I have been trying to do is be a comfort seeking risk taker. What I have now understood is that those two things cannot coexist.