COMFORT IS A DANGEROUS PLACE TO LIVE

Growing up, I learnt something that has stayed with me, whenever something became too comfortable, I was usually no longer growing. There were times when I could have settled for what was easy. If I got a result I was happy with, I could have stopped there. If something was difficult, it was tempting to tell myself, “Maybe this is just not for me.” But I slowly learnt that the things that changed me most were usually the things that made me uncomfortable.

I see the same thing happening with some of you. You get a C in Mathematics, and because it is a pass, you breathe a sigh of relief and move on. You get a B in a subject, and you stop asking what it would take to make it an A or A*. You know that you could practise more, read more, ask your teacher for help or spend another hour working through the questions, but you don't, because the grade you have feels comfortable.

And sometimes it is not even about grades. You know you are always late to class, but you have become comfortable with rushing in after everyone else. You know you rarely speak in class because you are afraid of getting the answer wrong. You know you leave your work until the last minute. You know what needs to change, but changing it would make you uncomfortable.

The problem is that comfort feels good now, but it can cost you later.

Think about the person who decides to wake up earlier when everyone else is still sleeping, the student who stays behind because they still do not understand a topic, or the one who keeps practising something they are terrible at until, one day, they realise they can actually do it. Nothing magical happened. They simply refused to remain comfortable.

So today, look honestly at yourself. Where have you become too comfortable? Is it your grades? Your effort? Your punctuality? Your preparation? Your attitude towards a subject?

Whatever it is, challenge yourself. Because sometimes the next version of you is waiting just beyond that point.

Mr. Y. Kwatiwani

Deputy Headmaster (Academic)