{"id":78386,"date":"2024-12-30T20:10:49","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T21:10:49","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/?p=78386"},"modified":"2025-01-07T22:03:10","modified_gmt":"2025-01-07T22:03:10","slug":"growth-over-comfort","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bestratefinders.com\/blog\/everything-else\/growth-over-comfort\/","title":{"rendered":"Growth over Comfort"},"content":{"rendered":"

Stephen Wilson Jr. was a scientist working for Mars, Inc. <\/b>(Yeah, the Candy company).<\/span><\/p>\n

One day, his boss pulled him into an office and said something that changed his life:<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cStephen, you\u2019re about to get promoted.\u201d<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Normally a cause for celebration, this was instead meant as a warning by his boss.<\/span><\/p>\n

In a past life, Stephen had been a guitarist in a small indie rock band. He also spent his evenings writing songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

His boss knew Stephen was a damn good songwriter, and where he really belonged.<\/span><\/p>\n

He told Stephen about the golden handcuffs:<\/b><\/p>\n

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\u201cYou\u2019re in line for a promotion and they\u2019re grooming you for the next level.<\/span><\/p>\n

And you\u2019re kind of at a crossroads.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because if you take [the promotion], like I took it 30 years ago, your dreams of being a songwriter, they\u2019re gonna be gone. This is going to consume every bit of you.<\/span><\/p>\n

Right now you can write songs and do this job, but 6 months from now I\u2019m not sure you\u2019re gonna be able to. So I just want to give you a warning.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

That tiny voice in Stephen\u2019s head, that had been there for years and years, started to get louder.<\/b><\/p>\n

6 weeks later, with that inner voice now at a deafening volume, he put in his 2 weeks notice, which confused <\/span>everyone<\/span><\/i> (except his boss and his wife).<\/span><\/p>\n

He started bartending and waiting tables to make ends meet while honing his craft, trying to get publishing deals in country music\u2026while getting rejected for not writing<\/span> \u200b<\/span>\u201cbro country\u201d songs<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/a>:<\/span><\/p>\n

He was told, \u201cyou write <\/span>REAL<\/span><\/i> songs. We can\u2019t do nuthin\u2019 with that\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Years later, after some modest success writing songs for other musicians, he finally worked up the courage and experience and clout to start recording his own songs.<\/span><\/p>\n

And last year, he finally put out his debut album, <\/span>Son of Dad<\/span><\/i>, which Rolling Stone called one of the best albums of 2023.<\/span><\/p>\n

Recently, Stephen put out a<\/span> \u200b<\/span>jaw-dropping cover of Ben E. King\u2019s \u201cStand By Me,\u201d<\/span>\u200b<\/span><\/a> which I have listened to approximately 10,000 times over the past month.<\/span><\/p>\n

(Seriously, please watch this video. It\u2019ll give you goosebumps!).<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Golden Handcuffs vs Uncomfortable Expansion<\/b><\/h2>\n

From 2008-2010, I also lived a dual life.<\/b><\/p>\n

I had my day job at Sixthman, helping promote and produce floating music festivals. But I also spent my nights and weekends working on a little website helping nerds get fit.<\/span><\/p>\n

My boss April and my mentor Andy (who owned the business) both knew where my heart was; they encouraged me to chase the uncomfortable future of trying to make Nerd Fitness into my career.<\/span><\/p>\n

16 years later, we\u2019re still going strong!<\/span><\/p>\n

In Oliver Burkeman\u2019s<\/b> \u200b<\/span>Four Thousand Weeks<\/i><\/b>\u200b<\/span><\/a>, he encourages us to ask a specific question when making decisions in life:<\/b><\/p>\n

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\u201cWhere in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what\u2019s called for is a little discomfort?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Asking ourselves \u201cwhat would make me happiest\u201d will most likely lead us towards the short term, comfortable, safe option.<\/span><\/p>\n

Instead, we should be thinking which path will make us GROW as a person, or which version will cause us to SHRINK each week. We probably, deep down inside, know the answer to the question, if we have the courage to ask it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Burkeman\u2019s advice:<\/b><\/p>\n

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\u201cChoose uncomfortable enlargement over comfortable diminishment whenever you can.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Yep, sometimes chasing “uncomfortable enlargement\u201d doesn\u2019t result in a songwriting deal, or a successful business. I\u2019ve chosen the uncomfortable path and sometimes things don\u2019t work out. But that\u2019s part of the process, and at least it removes the potential for unhealthy regret!<\/span><\/p>\n

Which brings me to today\u2019s mission.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let’s get comfortable with being uncomfortable<\/b><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s chase uncomfortable expansion in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n