Go Big or Go Home

[guru1000]

I'm interested in what many of you are ultimately striving for in both business and personal:

Are you striving to get by under the radar and marinate in perpetual comfort and complacency;

Are you the cussed bloody-minded, ramrod-backed type of damnfool who will never be comfortable until you reach the stars (which will never happen) or you die;

Or?

What's your purposeful end game, Comfort or Struggle? Or neither extreme?

 

[Serenity]

Comfort is too boring, struggle too stressful. My goal is somewhere in between, the sweet spot where there's enough of a challenge to keep life interesting but not so much that it's frustrating. Improvement AND life satisfaction comes from this, because it's always the right amount of challenge but as I get better I increase the challenge to be in the sweet spot. I seek flow, where I have a sense of mastery and yet also a challenge. By satisfying myself this way I may inadvertently achieve greatness, but my primary focus is myself.

Going big is too much of a challenge, it's overwhelming and frustrating to have a goal a lot larger than my current skillset. Going home and doing nothing is a quick way to extreme boredom, which isn't exactly any better than extreme stress.

So I'd say neither extreme, I go the middle way.

 

[AlphaNate]

Comfort.

The less I have to focus on money, the more I can shift my focuses. I don't know what I'd shift to at the moment, but more options is always better.

 

[ubercat]

I'm with Grewd on this one I'd rather take the next step then try and jump the gap when the bridge is out. I'm in a semi i t project manager job and my boss is willing to mentor me in solution design. So the current plan is to soak up some more project manager experience and learn how to be an IT architect. In my field that means I can be a business analyst i t architect iteration manager or project manager. That wide skillset should give me good longevity

So that's the salary sorted out. Next challenge is to get my money working harder for me.

I've got about 220 k balance in retirement savings. When I'm retired I was thinking about opening a cafe or a speciality farming operation should have about 300 k which hopefully will be enough. There's some very average cafes around that seem to meet money so I'm sure I can do it a bit smarter. So the retirement plan is forming.

The medium term area I need to address is investing. I've got about 60 k in savings I'd like to do something with but it's a bit of a dilemma where to put it at the moment with both the stock market and the real estate market so high.

Physically I had a lot of injuries this year. I've managed to keep playing my sports and keep slowly losing weight so that's been OK but I want to add back swimming now and get much more regular with my weight workouts.

 

[resilient]

I wasted three+ years in my early 30s lazy and living "comfortably" thinking everything would just work out. When in reality, I was in denial that I was in a dead-end career. I was living in an illusion and needed to seriously wake up. Those are three years I can't get back. I had to live those three wasteful years to understand where my life direction needed to head moving forward.

"I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom." -Fight Club

Fast track to today... I'm thoroughly living in the struggle. It's frustrating and lonely at times, but f' it. I know I won't always feel like this. I study long hours and have to isolate myself at times to concentrate on research and exams. My situation is not the end game, yet I know, I'm working on all aspects of my life to elevate above mediocrity.

Once I'm working in my new field for a while, I plan to open my own practice.

 

[guru1000]

"I found freedom. Losing all hope was freedom." -Fight Club

I choose freedom. Losing all hope (of comfort) is freedom.

Growth cannot catalyze in a vacuum of complacency.

Always choose challenge:

• See a HB9 you like? Challenge yourself, approach.
• A social group you wish to join? Challenge yourself, intercede.
• With the “wrong” girl? Challenge yourself, dump her.
• Wronged? Challenge yourself, eject permanently.
• Unsure about a girl. Challenge yourself, find something better.
• Broke? Challenge yourself, secure additional/other employment or self-employment.
• Rich? Challenge yourself, get richer.
• Ugly? Challenge yourself, get handsome.
• Handsome? Challenge yourself, get better.
• Unfit? Challenge yourself, get fit.
• Fit? Challenge yourself, get fitter.

The pursuit of (keeping) comfort is the ultimate road to stagnation, the road to nowhere … the disease of the bourgeoisie (at best).

Be the cussed bloody-minded, ramrod-backed damnfool who rather break than sway with the wind. Always choose and embrace challenge.

 

[resilient]

Solid post, guru.

Progression is about taking everything to the next level.

2016 was a challenging year for me (in a good way). I came out of the fog from a 9 year LTR. I had no idea who I was anymore. I felt lost, dazed, and confused (no drugs though). I joined many diverse social circles, took up random hobbies, and dangerous pursuits to see how far I could stretch myself. Breakups have always been awesome fuel to learn something new about myself.

Sometimes I wonder why more DJs don't use breakups as fuel to better themselves... Rejection makes us men stronger. Like steel tempered in the fire. Our purpose solidifies if we own it.

2017 so far has been an interesting year... I tried plate spinning for the first time amidst a career transition and got sidetracked and ultimately let myself get burned by making a main plate, main plate too early. After all these years I"m still deconditioning AFC/Disney/White knight feels that creep up. C'est la vie. Single and no plates now, yet I feel like I've refocused on where I'm going. I've gained 10 pounds of muscle in the last month and will keep training in the gym and diet to reach another 20-30 pounds.

I became an event organizer for a large group where I live, so that's going to be interesting to see how social proof gets taken up a notch when I host more get togethers this summer.

Making more money will come later... though the plan is already in works.

 

[Mike32ct]

I choose freedom. Losing all hope (of comfort) is freedom.

Growth cannot catalyze in a vacuum of complacency.

Always choose challenge:

• See a HB9 you like? Challenge yourself, approach.
• A social group you wish to join? Challenge yourself, intercede.
• With the “wrong” girl? Challenge yourself, dump her.
• Wronged? Challenge yourself, eject permanently.
• Unsure about a girl. Challenge yourself, find something better.
• Broke? Challenge yourself, secure additional/other employment or self-employment.
• Rich? Challenge yourself, get richer.
• Ugly? Challenge yourself, get handsome.
• Handsome? Challenge yourself, get better.
• Unfit? Challenge yourself, get fit.
• Fit? Challenge yourself, get fitter.

The pursuit of (keeping) comfort is the ultimate road to stagnation, the road to nowhere … the disease of the bourgeoisie (at best).

Be the cussed bloody-minded, ramrod-backed damnfool who rather break than sway with the wind. Always choose and embrace challenge.

Not a criticism, but a genuine question that crosses my mind daily....

In life, there are many, many challenges. So don't you still have to "pick your battles" and face certain challenges at a time and defer (or even avoid) others for the time being? Otherwise you burn out and loss focus. Plus there are time constraints.

TDLR: Agree on facing challenges, but how do you juggle many of them at once?

 

[guru1000]

Not a criticism, but a genuine question that crosses my mind daily....

In life, there are many, many challenges. So don't you still have to "pick your battles" and face certain challenges at a time and defer (or even avoid) others for the time being? Otherwise you burn out and loss focus. Plus there are time constraints.

TDLR: Agree on facing challenges, but how do you juggle many of them at once?

This thread was directed to those who choose comfort over challenge. Your question is different: You have many challenges on the table, which do you choose?

I consider challenges to be gifts from the high heavens. I don't refuse gifts. Rather I take them, embrace those that I can enjoy at the moment, and defer others for a later time when I have time to enjoy them.

I have three beneficial deals (challenges) land on my desk this month. The first could expand my business by 30%, the second by 15%, and the last by 5%. All are challenges. If I take all three, I will fail in all three, as my time and resources are not infinite. If I embrace only one (the biggest gift and foreseeable benefit), as my time and resources will permit; while I supersede, I will enjoy the fruits of my labor. Notice I said "while I supersede, I will enjoy," not "be comfortable in after I supersede." The former relishes in the process, not the end result. When I transcend the first challenge, then I will embrace the others. After all, how could I reject my other gifts, such would be an insult.

Careful not to choose "challenges" which present no definitive benefit or pyrrhic benefits. Those are not gifts, but rather appeals to ego guised as challenges worthy to embrace. Challenges which create a win-win are the ones you seek.

 

[ubercat]

Not arguing but how do you tell the difference. I mean in my example my project manager job doesn't have as much scope of control as I would like. However it pays well into the six figures and it's giving me more experience on the resume. Alternatively I could go for an external project manager position. Often they just give you some broken project which is a suicide run because of political factors. How would I know how to calculate risk and reward?

 

[playa99]

I actually feel uncomfortable being within a comfort zone. I love the challenge!

Being comfortable isn't the easy route, it is the hard route as you know you can do better. The mental pain or not trying is far worse than shooting for your dreams.

How do I know? I've lived within my comfort zone for long periods of time & the mental pain is excruciating.

We only grow when we strive to transcend ourselves.

 

[guru1000]

Not arguing but how do you tell the difference. I mean in my example my project manager job doesn't have as much scope of control as I would like. However it pays well into the six figures and it's giving me more experience on the resume. Alternatively I could go for an external project manager position. Often they just give you some broken project which is a suicide run because of political factors. How would I know how to calculate risk and reward?

Not much specifics to go on Ubercat, so I'll make an assumption:

• Your current job pays and serves your resume well, but you would like more control.
  
• Alternatively, you have another job you can take which is speculative with ambiguous pay, but would require your leaving your current job.

You want to embrace challenges which provide a clear benefit. The words "suicide run" appear speculative, not a clear benefit.

However, you state this:

I mean in my example my project manager job doesn't have as much scope of control as I would like

Notice your last four words.

Funny thing about comfort: Although we think we are comfortable, we cannot escape the tug of our true calling and design. You KNOW you have more to do. But among the myriad challenges you can choose from, choose the one which serves you with a clear benefit, whether that be a push for advancement in your current job or a P/T secondary employment/self-employment.

If you are the same person you were last year, you are failing.

 

[AlexKaiser]

If you wait for a perfect opportunity, you will wait forever.

That's why you have to make your own perfect opportunity.

 

[Mike32ct]

This thread was directed to those who choose comfort over challenge. Your question is different: You have many challenges on the table, which do you choose?

I consider challenges to be gifts from the high heavens. I don't refuse gifts. Rather I take them, embrace those that I can enjoy at the moment, and defer others for a later time when I have time to enjoy them.

I have three beneficial deals (challenges) land on my desk this month. The first could expand my business by 30%, the second by 15%, and the last by 5%. All are challenges. If I take all three, I will fail in all three, as my time and resources are not infinite. If I embrace only one (the biggest gift and foreseeable benefit), as my time and resources will permit; while I supersede, I will enjoy the fruits of my labor. Notice I said "while I supersede, I will enjoy," not "be comfortable in after I supersede." The former relishes in the process, not the end result. When I transcend the first challenge, then I will embrace the others. After all, how could I reject my other gifts, such would be an insult.

Careful not to choose "challenges" which present no definitive benefit or pyrrhic benefits. Those are not gifts, but rather appeals to ego guised as challenges worthy to embrace. Challenges which create a win-win are the ones you seek.

Great, thanks.

 

[Serenity]

If you are the same person you were last year, you are failing.

Also, if you mess with something that works great you're failing even more. So don't change just for the sake of changing, target what doesn't work.

 

[Roober]

Challenge definitely! I imagine sticking with my current career for 1 or more years, depending on what they offer, then potentially moving into consulting. If something else comes up, I may venture that way too. I am really trying to think of that great idea where I can quit working for the man and pursue a business of my own.

a couple ideas...
-restaurant/bar chain
-training consulting
-An HR-like consulting firm, I feel like everything around HR is wildly inefficient...
-a couple app ideas

Currently, I have some personal business I need to handle before I take on any more. Therefore, I will continue to push at work and grow as much as possible. A lot of what guys learn here can be used for personal and professional growth as well.

 

[Von]

My business partner shooted me this line: "Happiness comes from struggle, everyone who's happy in life had to work for it"

 

[SteR]

Good thread. I think this attitude is core to being a DJ

 

[guru1000]

Some have PMed me with, "Guru , why do you even post here."

I joined 10 years ago after being railroaded by the legal system, and left for broke and dead by all I knew. This site delineates my journey from those days to today. I come in from time to time to iron out my thoughts, as it helps to gain a stronger perspective reading these thoughts as if they were occurring outside of me.

This month, I have an opportunity that has landed in my lap that will increase current gross revenue by 30% and net income by 50% this year. If I decide to engage, and build a new division within the firm to exploit this opportunity within a ripe market that highly demands it, a potential 400% increase in net income is probable over the next few years.

• There will be more work.
• There will be more stress.
• There will be more responsibility.
• There will be more liability (as is the case when you monopolize in any area).

I don't need the extra money, so what would be the point, right? Should I just cruise in the status quo and enjoy what I do have--or--should I embrace this large challenge? Why?

 

[guru1000]

Guru, what's the superlative purpose of this life: Comfort or Growth? Why?