Hello Friends!
Great to be back writing another article for #loopholesonlife and I’m still loving my role as co-host of The Loop Holes on Life Podcast which I encourage all of you to checkout and enjoy on our website loopholesonlife.com!
I remember once I was back at my alma-mater, The Ohio State University, where I stepped up to the bar with some old friends. One of them told the bartender that me and my pal would love to try this new shot they were offering, the Tsunami, he proceeded to order two of them. The bartender promptly agreed proclaiming “Two Tsunami’s coming right up” and before we could haggle our friend on why he didn’t order one for himself the bartender was already splashing two full cups of water into our faces. We were soaked and speechless, taken aback and had probably about ten different feelings and emotions going through our heads in those ensuing seconds. Anger, frustration, curiosity, stupidity, naivety and then in the end when we realized what really had just happened; we laughed our asses off and humor and even some joy and jubilation set in.
This is what I want my article to feel like when I talk about complacency today. I look back on that moment of getting splashed in the face with water instead of receiving just another boring old shot on another same old day and the way it put me off track and set me back is what breaking complacency is all about! I want us all to take a moment today, tomorrow or this week (can’t wait too long on this!) and check our complacency meter. How would yours read? Is it reading high up above 50% with lots of nervous yet exciting unknowns about what the future holds or is it trickling very low flickering around 10%? What I mean by this is does your life challenge you or make you feel alive in ways that are exciting and maybe even uncomfortable? This meter takes into account all aspects of life; work, family, physical fitness, friendships, hobbies and so much more.
So maybe work is something you aren’t satisfied in at the moment. Each day is a doldrum of unmotivating work that goes in a circular motion day after day. When someone bring up the “ole” work talk at a social event you cringe even talking about it. Well then I say it’s time to do something about it and erratic that complacency!! Maybe you don’t have to just quit….we all have financial obligations and rents to pay and mouths to feed. But ask yourself what can you do? Can you shake up the way things are done? Can you get a promotion and take on more responsibility? Is your boss holding you back and you’ve always said “he/she won’t change…he/she is impossible to work with?” Well guess what you may not want to hear….but have you sat down and shattered the complacency meter and straight up told your boss that you and the others feel that way? It may not go to well but guess what; ❝I really try to put myself in uncomfortable situations. Complacency is my enemy.❞ (Quote by Trent Reznor- yes I’m a big Rock Fan!). I promise you this- if nothing else telling him or her this uncomfortable news will certainly shatter their complacency meter for a day!
I really do want to stress however this isn’t all about work. Many of us have jobs that bring us some financial success and happiness and perhaps that’s what we are destined to do. Even an pro-athlete who we would deem as the most successful of professions must feel immense complacency at times playing the same sport in the same cities over and over. Sure it pays very well but who’s to say they didn’t want to be a Rock star or a Scientist or anything else. What I mean is that we have to check our complacency meter on all of life’s aspect. How’s your family life? Do you let your wife give the kids a bath every night? Shake that up and take your turn; make a game out of it and have a blast! Do you need to take time for a date with your significant other and shake complacency up. How’s your health? Do you eat the same foods and never challenge yourself to get healthier or feel more fit? Fitness is an easy way to shatter your complacency meter and really put yourself in a difficult situation from what your used to that will result in lots of jubilation and happiness in the end; much like that splash of water to the face I took.
Hobbies are a way I have found incredible outlets to keep from being non complacent. Right now my career is very successful waiting for it’s next challenges that I know are forthcoming and I am actively pushing towards them. So to get my complacency meter way up I challenge myself on home life (I travel to keep it exciting!) and I use my hobbies where I continue to get better and learn more about the guitar and try to practice and learn a new language in Spanish! In my humble opinion; Television is one of the absolute detriments to the complacency meter. I try to avoid TV at all costs and put my time into things that make me uncomfortable whether it’s travelling somewhere I haven’t been (even if just locally), eating a food I haven’t tried (ethiopian anyone?!), playing a song I haven’t mastered or trying to say something in a language I don’t know how to say. These are small examples but I love the way they keep my life feeling on it’s “toes” and I challenge you all to try and take a similar approach wherever you can!
So good luck out there on assessing your complacency meter and feel free to drop us a like on this site if you enjoyed this article and give us any feedback you might have as well! Look forward to having this complacency talk with my pal Stitch on The Loop Holes on Life Podcast real soon and wish all of you the best week ever!!
Sincerely,
Stan